2020-03-21T06:01:00
(BPT) – — Webcasts by disease are open to the public; Survey is tracking concerns —
The COVID-19 global pandemic has disrupted daily life in the United States, leaving many people concerned. One of the key at-risk groups of COVID-19 includes people with serious chronic medical conditions.
“If anything, I’m feeling more at risk.”
“I have not left my house in 10 days.”
“It feels a little like we are under siege.”
“I may not look sick, but I have a condition no one can see.”
If you or someone you know is living with a health condition, these concerns probably sound familiar. They were shared by patients with respiratory conditions on a March 19 webcast about the novel coronavirus. Health Perspectives Group and Health Stories Project, its social sharing community of people living with or caring for those with chronic conditions, is hosting the series of webcasts focusing on COVID-19 and how it is impacting people with specific health challenges. The webcasts are open to the public (see section below to register).
Concurrently, an ongoing series of surveys is tracking questions and concerns that 1,300 patients with a range of conditions have about COVID-19. And the numbers are rising. Among survey respondents on March 18, 84% of patients feel vulnerable to COVID-19, an increase from 73% in the first full survey on March 11.
The survey also shows that people with chronic diseases are seeking information and support not only from their doctors (49%) but also from each other — 77% have talked to others with their condition about their concerns, a significant increase from 58% in the first full survey.
Register for an upcoming webcast here: Health Stories Project
If any of the health conditions below affect you, the public is invited to register to listen in on upcoming webcasts featuring a health professional and patients living with each condition:
(All webcasts take place at 1:30 p.m. ET)
Oncology – Tuesday, March 24
Cardio/Metabolic – Thursday, March 26
HIV – Tuesday , March 31
Pregnancy – Thursday, April 2
Parkinson’s Disease – Tuesday, April 7
Mental health – Thursday, April 9
Medical disabilities – Tuesday, April 14
Renal disease – Thursday, April 16
Pediatric diseases – Tuesday, April 21
People affected by any health condition are also invited to share their stories in the Health Stories Project community: https://healthstoriesproject.com/
Survey tracks COVID-19 concerns among people with chronic conditions
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), six in 10 U.S. adults have a chronic disease, and four in 10 have two or more chronic diseases. This represents millions of Americans whose health is more at risk due to the pandemic.
The Health Perspectives Group survey provides a window into the concerns of this at-risk group, whose worries extend beyond their health: 89% of respondents expressed concern about the outbreak hurting the economy. As they seek information about their illness, 62% of respondents do not feel the media is adequately addressing concerns for their specific conditions. The survey also follows availability of COVID-19 tests. In the most recent survey pulse, 27% of respondents have a friend, colleague or acquaintance that have been tested, and 15% know someone who has tested positive as of March 19.
These survey statistics come from a series of ongoing surveys of up to 1,300 people living with or caring for those with chronic conditions conducted by Health Perspectives Group, a patient engagement company. Survey participants span 17 chronic disease areas across age groups (18-92), genders, race/ethnicities, education level and location (urban, suburban, rural). Key questions from the survey are being re-administered in a pulse survey every several days over two weeks to track changes in patient concerns, disease status and access to information in real time.
“As we face this unprecedented global medical event, we are committed to sharing the voices of patients living with chronic diseases and highlighting needs that are not being addressed effectively by hosting webcasts and continuing our survey of Health Stories Project members,” said Cheryl Lubbert, President and CEO of Health Perspectives Group. “We are grateful to those patients who have raised a hand to share their experiences and concerns, and we invite anyone with a health condition to listen in on any upcoming webcasts and to join Health Stories Project to share their own story as well.”
