Attitudes and Behaviors of Patients With Rheumatic Diseases During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Outbreak

Objective. To evaluate attitudes and behaviors of patients with rheumatic diseases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods. An online survey delivered by text message to 4695 patients on follow-up at a tertiary rheumatology center. Latent class analysis was performed on the survey variables. Results. There were 2239 (47.7%) who responded to the survey and 3 clusters were identified. Cluster 3 (C3) was defined by patients who were most worried about COVID-19, more likely to wear face masks, and more likely to alter or stop their medications. Patients in C3 were more likely to be female, Malay, and unemployed. Conclusion. We identified 3 clusters with different healthcare beliefs and distinct sociodemographics.

Automated summary

The study identified three distinct clusters of patients with rheumatic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic, each showing different healthcare beliefs and sociodemographics. Patients in Cluster 3 were most concerned about COVID-19, more likely to wear face masks, and more likely to alter or stop their medications.