{"id":2961,"date":"2020-09-10T10:28:09","date_gmt":"2020-09-10T09:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/imperial-medicine\/?p=2961"},"modified":"2020-12-14T13:27:15","modified_gmt":"2020-12-14T13:27:15","slug":"how-are-people-with-respiratory-conditions-impacted-by-measures-to-reduce-risk-of-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/imperial-medicine\/2020\/09\/10\/how-are-people-with-respiratory-conditions-impacted-by-measures-to-reduce-risk-of-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"How are people with respiratory conditions impacted by measures to reduce risk of COVID-19?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dr Keir Philip discusses how people with long term respiratory conditions have been impacted by measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 and whether online singing groups could help.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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As the global COVID-19 pandemic draws on, effects are being felt by everyone, not just those who have been infected with the virus. From schools to offices, restaurants to gyms, many aspects of \u2018normal\u2019 have been closed, stopped, or undergone major adaptations. These societal and healthcare disruptions will affect people differently, with certain groups of people, such as those with respiratory conditions, potentially more vulnerable.<\/p>\n

Over the last few months I have been working with Dr Nicholas Hopkinson (Respiratory Consultant, NHLI Academic, and Medical Director of the British Lung Foundation(BLF)), Dr Bradley Lonergan (Internal Medicine Trainee) in collaboration with the Asthma UK-BLF partnership, to try to understand how people with long term respiratory conditions have been impacted by measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19.<\/p>\n

Our research published today in BMJ Open<\/em><\/a> explores the findings of a large UK wide survey conducted at the height of the first wave. We found that measures to reduce risk of COVID-19, such as social distancing and changes to healthcare provision, were having profound impacts on people with long term respiratory conditions. These included cancellations of appointments, investigations, and vital aspects of their care such as pulmonary rehabilitation.<\/p>\n

Take-up of online healthcare provision<\/h2>\n

Although a great deal of work is taking place moving resources and care provision online, 36% of respondents did not use online prescriptions and 54% had not accessed online inhaler technique videos. High levels of psychosocial stress were also reported, which is a particular area of interest and the focus of my recent papers on social isolation, loneliness and physical performance in Nature Scientific Reports<\/em><\/a>, and social isolation and loneliness as risk factors for hospital admissions for respiratory disease in Thorax<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

We have also explored these psychological and mental health impacts in more depth, in a qualitative research paper titled \u201cCOVID-19 related concerns of people with long-term respiratory conditions: A qualitative study\u201d. This study is currently under peer review, but the preprint is available<\/a>. In this study we found that people with long term respiratory conditions had multiple concerns contributing to the psychological impacts observed. Four main themes were identified:<\/p>\n