Older female relatives of Covid-19 patients have an un-satisfactory perception of emergency room performance by clinical staff

Abstract

Satisfaction levels in relatives of suspected Covid-19 cases during hospital admission to an emergency department have not previously been reported. A prospective observational study was conducted using the Communication Attitude Test (CAT-T) questionnaire to describe educational level, age, and gender differences in 1201 relatives of suspected Covid-19 patients admitted to an emergency room between 21 February and 31 December 2020. Increased CAT-T scores, indicating low levels of satisfaction, were observed in older female relatives with low education levels (p < 0.01). These observations suggest that lack of accessible information during the Covid-19 pandemic can be a key aspect of anxiety not only in patients but for relatives, especially older women, and emphasizes the need for proactive communication.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, satisfaction of relatives, age, gender, education, communication