The Follow-Up and Well-Being of Geriatric Outpatients During COVID-19 Pandemic in Cameroon: Insights From the Yaounde Central Hospital
Although total confinement has not been adopted by the government of Cameroon, the COVID-19 pandemic is keeping geriatric patients out of hospital, despite a decline in their health status. In addition, the pandemic might have a significant effect on their general well-being. This study aimed to exa...
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doaj-e934d665cd43466784551ff3e8d7c4a32020-11-25T03:47:11ZengSAGE PublishingGerontology and Geriatric Medicine2333-72142020-09-01610.1177/2333721420959242The Follow-Up and Well-Being of Geriatric Outpatients During COVID-19 Pandemic in Cameroon: Insights From the Yaounde Central HospitalMarie Josiane Ntsama Essomba MD0Victorine Nzana MD1Jean Jacques Noubiap MD2Marylin Zingui-Ottou MD3Laura Ciaffi MD4Eugène Sobngwi MD, PhD5Gloria Ashuntantang MD6University of Yaounde, Yaounde, CameroonYaounde Central Hospital, Yaounde, CameroonUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, AustraliaYaounde Central Hospital, Yaounde, CameroonU1175 INSERM, Yaounde, CameroonUniversity of Yaounde, Yaounde, CameroonUniversity of Yaounde, Yaounde, CameroonAlthough total confinement has not been adopted by the government of Cameroon, the COVID-19 pandemic is keeping geriatric patients out of hospital, despite a decline in their health status. In addition, the pandemic might have a significant effect on their general well-being. This study aimed to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the follow-up and well-being of older outpatients seen at geriatric consultation in Cameroon. We carried out a telephone survey of patients who did not attend an appointment at our geriatrics outpatient clinic on April 2020. Overall, 30 participants were recruited of whom 70% were female ( n = 21) with a median age of 74 years (IQR 68.8–85). Most patients (73%, n = 22) did not attend their appointment because of fear of being infected by SARS-CoV-2 at hospital. Approximately 23% ( n = 7) of participants reported a decline of their functional status since the last geriatric visit. Loss of appetite and weight loss were both reported in 30% ( n = 9) of patients. Half of participants ( n = 15) self-rated their health status as bad and three of them died in private health facilities. Strategies to ensure a continuum of care for this vulnerable population during this pandemic are highly needed in our setting.https://doi.org/10.1177/2333721420959242 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Marie Josiane Ntsama Essomba MD Victorine Nzana MD Jean Jacques Noubiap MD Marylin Zingui-Ottou MD Laura Ciaffi MD Eugène Sobngwi MD, PhD Gloria Ashuntantang MD |
spellingShingle |
Marie Josiane Ntsama Essomba MD Victorine Nzana MD Jean Jacques Noubiap MD Marylin Zingui-Ottou MD Laura Ciaffi MD Eugène Sobngwi MD, PhD Gloria Ashuntantang MD The Follow-Up and Well-Being of Geriatric Outpatients During COVID-19 Pandemic in Cameroon: Insights From the Yaounde Central Hospital Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine |
author_facet |
Marie Josiane Ntsama Essomba MD Victorine Nzana MD Jean Jacques Noubiap MD Marylin Zingui-Ottou MD Laura Ciaffi MD Eugène Sobngwi MD, PhD Gloria Ashuntantang MD |
author_sort |
Marie Josiane Ntsama Essomba MD |
title |
The Follow-Up and Well-Being of Geriatric Outpatients During COVID-19 Pandemic in Cameroon: Insights From the Yaounde Central Hospital |
title_short |
The Follow-Up and Well-Being of Geriatric Outpatients During COVID-19 Pandemic in Cameroon: Insights From the Yaounde Central Hospital |
title_full |
The Follow-Up and Well-Being of Geriatric Outpatients During COVID-19 Pandemic in Cameroon: Insights From the Yaounde Central Hospital |
title_fullStr |
The Follow-Up and Well-Being of Geriatric Outpatients During COVID-19 Pandemic in Cameroon: Insights From the Yaounde Central Hospital |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Follow-Up and Well-Being of Geriatric Outpatients During COVID-19 Pandemic in Cameroon: Insights From the Yaounde Central Hospital |
title_sort |
follow-up and well-being of geriatric outpatients during covid-19 pandemic in cameroon: insights from the yaounde central hospital |
publisher |
SAGE Publishing |
series |
Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine |
issn |
2333-7214 |
publishDate |
2020-09-01 |
description |
Although total confinement has not been adopted by the government of Cameroon, the COVID-19 pandemic is keeping geriatric patients out of hospital, despite a decline in their health status. In addition, the pandemic might have a significant effect on their general well-being. This study aimed to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the follow-up and well-being of older outpatients seen at geriatric consultation in Cameroon. We carried out a telephone survey of patients who did not attend an appointment at our geriatrics outpatient clinic on April 2020. Overall, 30 participants were recruited of whom 70% were female ( n = 21) with a median age of 74 years (IQR 68.8–85). Most patients (73%, n = 22) did not attend their appointment because of fear of being infected by SARS-CoV-2 at hospital. Approximately 23% ( n = 7) of participants reported a decline of their functional status since the last geriatric visit. Loss of appetite and weight loss were both reported in 30% ( n = 9) of patients. Half of participants ( n = 15) self-rated their health status as bad and three of them died in private health facilities. Strategies to ensure a continuum of care for this vulnerable population during this pandemic are highly needed in our setting. |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1177/2333721420959242 |
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