The Impact of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) on Patients Visiting Outpatient Urology Clinic in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: The coronavirus pandemic had a major impact on health care service delivery globally. Work force in the health care sector and resources were focused on the critically ill from Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) following the huge number of patients contracting this rapidly spreading virus. All medical specialties not directly involved in treatment of COVID-19 witnessed interruption in services, urologic care was not spared. Objective: This study aims to assess the impact of coronavirus Disease -19 (COVID-19) on patients visiting urology outpatient clinic at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital. Methods: It was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted to assess impact of COVID-19 on patients visiting outpatient urology clinic. All consecutive patients aged 18 years and above who consented were recruited. Continuous data like age were presented in mean and standard deviation, while categorical data were presented in percentages. Association between dependent and independent variables were determined using Pearson chi square or fisher’s exact where appropriate while predictors of impact were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. P-value set as ˂0.05. Results: A total of 154 respondents participated. Mean age was 61.9 years. Males constitute 90.3% of respondent. Only 6% of participants felt negative impact of COVID-19 on urology care. Age of respondent was the only determinant of impact of COVID-19 (p-value=0.014). There were no predictors of impact amongst socio demographic characteristics in a multivariate logistic regression. In the study 48.1%, 16.2% and 12.3% of participants suggested the use of phone calls, home visits and telemedicine as means of consultation to improve outpatient urology care and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Conclusions: The impact of COVID-19 on outpatients urology care was minimal at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital. Age was a determinant of impact. Improvement in access to telemedicine and phone calls were suggested as measures to further improve urology care while efforts are put in place to prevent spread of disease and achieve cure during the pandemic.