New SCAI Survey Confirms That Americans Are Avoiding Medical Care Because of COVID-19 Concerns

January 13, 2021—The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) announced findings from a new national survey indicating that approximately 40% of Americans still do not feel safe going to the doctor’s office while COVID-19 is still a risk. SCAI stated that these results underscore concerns that many Americans are not maintaining their overall health through routine care due to fears of COVID-19 as the 1-year mark of the ongoing pandemic approaches.

According to SCAI, this new data comes at an important time when there has been a > 20% decrease in primary care visits since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and approximately a 40% decrease in patients being treated for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

SCAI’s nationally representative survey found that > 30% of Americans have not had a routine check-up with their doctor since the pandemic began and more than half would be uncomfortable scheduling a medical procedure while COVID-19 is still a risk. Additionally, > 45% of Black and Latinx adult respondents would be uncomfortable going to the doctor’s office, compared to 25% of the general population.

SCAI’s Seconds Still Count campaign fielded three surveys to better understand perceptions from the different populations:

• General Population. This survey included 1,005 responses from a nationally representative sample over age 18 years. The confidence level for the survey is 95% with a margin of error of ± 3.09.
• Latinx Population. This survey included 1,023 responses from a sample of Latinx respondents using census data for age and sex balancing. All respondents are over age 18 years. The confidence level for the survey is 95% with a margin of error of ± 3.06.
• Black Population. This survey included 1,041 responses from a sample of Black respondents using census data for age and sex balancing. All respondents are over age 18 years. The confidence level for the survey is 95% with a margin of error of ± 3.04.

As outlined by SCAI, key highlights from the survey include:

• Approximately 40% of Americans do not feel safe going to a doctor’s office during COVID-19
• More than 30% of Americans have not had a routine check-up with their doctor since the COVID-19 pandemic began
• 51% of people do not feel comfortable scheduling a medical procedure during the COVID-19 pandemic
• 25% of Black and 29% of Latinx respondents would be comfortable scheduling a medical procedure
• 33% of Black and 34% of Latinx respondents would be comfortable going to the hospital for an emergency while COVID-19 is still a risk, compared to 58% of the general population
• More people are afraid of contracting COVID-19 (58%) than having a heart attack or stroke (42%)

Cindy Grines, MD, President of SCAI, commented in the announcement, “COVID-19 has changed the health care landscape as we know it, with consequences that will reverberate potentially for years to come. One challenge we can help prevent today is the impact of chronic disease among individuals who have fallen out of care due to fear of the virus. Cardiac care can’t wait for a time without COVID-19. We’ve seen an increase in medical emergencies like heart attacks and stroke, and the impact of cardiac patients delaying treatment for progressive heart conditions like aortic stenosis and atrial fibrillation, which can result in more complications and time spent in the hospital. For the millions of patients with heart disease, don’t let fear stand in the way of better outcomes and quality of life.”

Kirk N. Garratt, MD, SCAI past president, stated, “Although COVID-19 is still a risk, we cannot let fear cause patients with heart disease pause treatment for their condition or ignore other aspects of their health. Now more than ever, it is crucial to stay in care: keep regular check-ups on the calendar, take advantage of telemedicine when available, get the COVID-19 vaccine, and go through with possibly life-saving procedures. Remember, heart disease isn’t in quarantine—when it comes to your health, seconds still count.” 

The data reinforce and expand on the results from the initial SCAI survey on the effect of COVID-19 on patient behavior announced in May 2020. To help combat patients’ fears and perceptions, SCAI’s Seconds Still Count campaign is reminding Americans of the signs of a heart attack or stroke and urge them to continue consistent treatment and maintenance for overall health, noted the society.