Care avoidance and reduced accessibility to care during the COVID19 pandemic - course and long-term effects on incidence and prognosis of cardiovascular disease and cancer in the Netherlands

During the first phase of the pandemic, 1 in 5 people did not go to the doctor. In addition, healthcare providers have postponed appointments due to COVID-19. It is unclear whether this changed access to care has led to more serious forms of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Goal In this project we answer these questions: To what extent and by whom has less care been received? What are the effects of this on the severity of cardiovascular disease and cancer? To what extent have the conversations between doctor and patient changed as a result of the adapted care offering? Method In response to question 1, we calculate how many people visited the GP during the pandemic with complaints consistent with cardiovascular disease or cancer, compared to years before. For question 2, we look at whether more serious diagnoses have been diagnosed than before, such as metastatic forms of cancer. For question 3, we use questionnaires to investigate how the adapted care offering, such as video consultations, has influenced doctor-patient conversations.