Understanding the Management and Coping of Racial and Ethnic Minoritized Groups with Cardiovascular Disease and COVID-induced Cardiovascular Sequelae

Numerous short- and long-term implications have been reported in survivors of Coronavirus 2019 Disease (COVID-19). Many patients with COVID-19 may have had heart disease related conditions or may have developed heart related conditions in the course of their COVID-19 illness. Heart disease is a leading cause of death that is known to impact men from minoritized ethnic and racial groups more than other groups. The pandemic had social and economic implications which may have worsened management of heart disease. Therefore the aim of this research is to evaluate the state of heart disease management and coping in individuals from ethnic and racial groups who may have previously had heart disease or may have acquired a heart related condition from contracting COVID-19. Patients will be recruited from follow up clinics in local general hospitals and asked to fill questionnaires pertaining to their heart disease knowledge, coping, and management of their condition and perceived availability of resources and monitoring for their illness at different predetermined time points while visiting the clinics. Overall findings will be summarized and compared between the individuals with previous heart disease and those with COVID induced heart conditions. Findings from this research will inform recommendations for psychosocial and behavioural medicine interventions and monitoring of heart disease patients in the years to come.