During the early phases of the pandemic in 2020, hydroxychloroquine was largely used for #COVID19; this affected #lupus patients.
Shortages of medicine create #anxiety that can be long-lasting. Even when supply is re-established, the fear remains, according to our last study.
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is the cornerstone in #SLE management. Therefore, the shortage due to the covid-19 pandemic deeply affected patients. That is why, in the middle of the shortage, we conducted a survey to quantify this access gap and the anxiety it caused in SLE patients.
The analysis of the answers given by 2,422 SLE patients showed that 48.3% of them could not obtain HCQ in their usual pharmacy, and an average level of 6.45 on a Likert scale of 0 - 10 was registered on the question ‘How anxious are you about not being able to have access to HCQ?’.
Furthermore, we conducted a follow-up survey that showed the following:
1️⃣ Only 13.5% of respondents had access issues, which confirmed restored access.
2️⃣ Anxiety significantly reduced to an average of 4.15 out of 10, being 10 ‘extreme anxiety’.
In November 2021, 18 months after supply was restored, a third follow-up survey was conducted to re-evaluate patients' experience & state of mind as well as to objectify emerging signals of new shortages in Poland.
This study highlights that establishing an effective communication system is necessary to reassure patients when short-term shortages are taking place and is key to avoiding fast-spreading anxiety relating to this concern.
How did hydroxychloroquine affect you?
Did you feel anxiety during that period?
Did your physician warn you about the shortage and advised you on what to do?
lupus.bmj.com/content/10/1/e000895
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