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. 2022 Dec:2:100041.
doi: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100041. Epub 2022 Jan 13.

Multinational primary health care experiences from the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis

Melina K Taylor  1 , Karen Kinder  2 , Joe George  3 , Andrew Bazemore  1   3 , Cristina Mannie  4   5 , Robert Phillips  3 , Stefan Strydom  4   5 , Felicity Goodyear-Smith  5
Affiliations

Multinational primary health care experiences from the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis

Melina K Taylor et al. SSM Qual Res Health. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: To learn from primary health care experts' experiences from the COVID-19 pandemic across countries.

Methods: We applied qualitative thematic analysis to open-text responses from a multinational rapid response survey of primary health care experts assessing response to the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results: Respondents' comments focused on three main areas of primary health care response directly influenced by the pandemic: 1) impact on the primary care workforce, including task-shifting responsibilities outside clinician specialty and changes in scope of work, financial strains on practices, and the daily uncertainties and stress of a constantly evolving situation; 2) impact on patient care delivery, both essential care for COVID-19 cases and the non-essential care that was neglected or postponed; 3) and the shift to using new technologies.

Conclusions: Primary health care experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe were similar in their levels of workforce stress, rapid technologic adaptation, and need to pivot delivery strategies, often at the expense of routine care.

Keywords: COVID-19; Pandemic; Patient care; Primary health care; Qualitative research; Workforce.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
COVID-19 “storm” model showing connectedness of themes and subthemes (in color).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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