Healthcare services utilization and seeking behaviour during COVID- 19 pandemic in the UAE – A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Abstract Background Following the sudden outbreak of COVID-19, many governments, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), imposed restrictions on movement to slow the spread of the virus. In such conditions, it is imperative that we ensure that healthcare remains accessible and safe. To better understand the impact of the pandemic on healthcare-seeking behavior, this cross-sectional study aimed to describe the patterns of healthcare utilization among adults in the UAE during the pandemic. Methods This cross-sectional study used snowball sampling to recruit participants from the UAE to complete a well-structured online questionnaire between December 2020 – March 2021. The questionnaire included closed-ended items covering demographic characteristics, medical history, and healthcare utilization during the pandemic, Results A total of 3371 participants completed the online questionnaire. A total of 66.7% of participants reported some level of worry over maintaining healthcare during the pandemic. In terms of seeking care for COVID-19 symptoms, 43% preferred seeking care in the emergency room, while 25.1% preferred the use of telemedicine services. The results showed a drop in healthcare utilization during the lockdown period (12.95%) compared to after the lockdown period (53.1%) among the respondents. Only 33.5% of healthcare services used during the pandemic were related to COVID-19. Females (p < 0.000), Emirati nationals (p < 0.05), and those with health insurance (p < 0.000) were more likely to utilize health services. Whereas those over the age of 31 (p < 0.05) were less likely to utilize health services during COVID-19 pandemic. Participants who reported chronic medical conditions were more than twice as likely to utilize health services as those without chronic medical condition. Conclusions Overall, this study found a decrease in healthcare seeking behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many participants expressing some level of worry about seeking healthcare during that period. Telemedicine appears to have potential as an alternative during such crises. Further research is needed to fully understand the impact of this reduction in healthcare utilization. Understanding the impact of the pandemic on healthcare utilization can help identify any gaps in healthcare systems and inform strategies for improving healthcare access and delivery in post-pandemic times.