Cleveland Clinic Survey: About Half of Americans Experiencing Concerning Heart Symptoms During Pandemic Avoid Seeking Care

CLEVELAND, Feb. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A Cleveland Clinic survey finds that just 52% of Americans reached out to a doctor or sought medical care after experiencing a concerning health issue during the COVID-19 outbreak. When it comes to patients with heart disease, that number increased to 63%.

According to the survey, many turned to the internet or friends and family for informal medical guidance, instead of a healthcare provider, even though 32% of Americans – and 53% of heart disease patients – reported feeling at least one troubling symptom during the pandemic like increased blood pressure, dizziness, shortness of breath or increased blood sugar levels.

The survey also found that concerns over contracting the virus are preventing people – especially heart disease patients – from seeing the doctor. Around 85% of Americans say they are concerned about contracting COVID-19 when seeking treatment for health issues at a doctor's office. Another alarming finding: one in three heart disease patients have put off taking their heart medications during COVID-19, with the top reason being that they are worried about going to the doctor during the pandemic.

"The concerning trend we saw in this year's survey is that the very people who should not be avoiding the doctor during a pandemic are doing just that," said Samir Kapadia, M.D., chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic. "Ignoring symptoms of heart disease or not maintaining regular health checks like blood pressure or cholesterol screenings can lead to serious health consequences, especially if you have pre-existing conditions. Hospitals, including Cleveland Clinic, are taking every precaution to keep patients safe while at the doctor's office."

The survey found that half of Americans (52%) and even more heart disease patients (65%) have put off health screenings or check-ups because of the pandemic. The most common appointments being put off include dental screenings, annual physicals, and blood pressure and cholesterol checks.

Weight gain and stress also rose to the top of the survey as a result of the pandemic, as 42% of Americans and about half (47%) of heart disease patients have gained weight during the pandemic. Among Americans who gained weight, 25% gained more than 20 pounds. Three-quarters (76%) of Americans report feeling more stressed because of COVID-19 – yet only about half (55%) know that stress can have a substantial impact on their heart health.

Additional survey findings show that many Americans have misconceptions about how COVID-19 impacts heart health:

• 61% of Americans are unaware that heart disease puts you more at risk for contracting a severe case of COVID-19 and 69% are unaware that hypertension adds increased risk as well.
• 33% of Americans incorrectly believe you're only at risk of long-term heart health effects from COVID-19 if you already have a pre-existing heart condition.
• 25% incorrectly believe COVID-19 only affects your lungs, not your heart.

Not all of the survey results were negative. Some Americans have adopted new healthy habits during COVID-19, including taking vitamins or supplements (35%), exercising more (32%), and eating a healthier diet (30%).

The survey was conducted as part of Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute's "Love your Heart" consumer education campaign in celebration of American Heart Month. Cleveland Clinic has been ranked the No. 1 hospital in the country for cardiology and cardiac surgery for 26 years in a row by US News & World Report.

For more information, go to: clevelandclinic.org/loveyourheart

Methodology
Findings of an online survey conducted among a national sample consisting of 1,000 general population Americans, 18 years of age and older, living in the continental United States with an oversample of 250 Americans with a pre-existing heart condition, for a total of n=516 respondents with a pre-existing heart condition. A pre-existing heart condition included: atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and peripheral artery disease.

The total general population sample data was weighted to be nationally representative based on age, gender, ethnicity, region, urban vs. rural, household income and educational attainment census data. The online survey was conducted by Lucid and completed between November 14^th and December 1^st. The margin of error for the total Gen Pop sample at the 95% confidence level is +/- 3.1 percentage points.

About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. Among Cleveland Clinic's 66,000 employees are more than 4,200 salaried physicians and researchers and 16,600 nurses, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic's health system includes a 165-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 11 regional hospitals in northeast Ohio, more than 180 northern Ohio outpatient locations – including 18 full-service family health centers and three health and wellness centers – and locations in southeast Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2018, there were 7.9 million total outpatient visits, 238,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 220,000 surgical cases throughout Cleveland Clinic's health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/CCforMedia and twitter.com/ClevelandClinic. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.

SOURCE Cleveland Clinic