Open Access“COVID‐19: The final nail in the coffin for physical examination” Evaluation of the effects of COVID‐19 pandemic on physical examination habits of residents in a university hospital: A cross‐sectional survey
Author(s) -
Erdevir Mehmet,
Uyaroğlu Oğuz Abdullah,
Özdede Murat,
Tanrıöver Mine Durusu
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.756
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1742-1241
pISSN - 1368-5031
DOI - 10.1111/ijcp.14988
Subject(s) - medicine , cross sectional study , pandemic , covid-19 , physical examination , family medicine , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Aims It is evident that the COVID‐19 pandemic has affected the medical practice and training of residents. In this study, we evaluated the physical examination (PE) habits of residents working in a university hospital and how their PE practices did change during the pandemic. Methods This single‐centre, non‐interventional, cross‐sectional descriptive study was conducted in a university hospital using an online survey questionnaire between 5 and 20 October 2020. Results Of the 308 residents who participated in the study, 172 of them (55.8%) were female and the median age was 27 (IQR (3) = Q1 (29)‐Q3 (26)). Amongst all, 263 participants (85.4%) declared that they have worked in the areas where suspected/confirmed COVID‐19 patients were being served. A total of 262 (85%) residents stated that PE habits have changed generally during the pandemic. There was a significant difference with regards to the change in PE habits between those residents who have worked in the COVID‐19 areas (n = 230, 87.5%) and those who have not (n = 32, 71.1%) ( P = .004). PE habits of Internal Medicine Residents were changed more than others ( P < .001). The main reason for the change in PE habits in general (77.9%) and during the examination of suspected/confirmed COVID‐19 patients (89.7%) were “self‐protection.” Independent factors for limited PE in suspected/confirmed COVID‐19 patients were found as “Avoiding performing physical examination to be exposed less/to protect (adjusted ORs = 13.067),” “relying on laboratory and radiological investigations during practice (adjusted ORs = 4.358),” and “not having a thought that reduced physical examination will render the diagnosis and course of COVID‐19 (adjusted ORs = 2.244).” Conclusions This study clearly demonstrated that the COVID‐19 pandemic has had a serious impact on the PE habits of the residents while examining patients in general and with COVID‐19.