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What has changed in the Opinions and Behaviors of Patients Admitted to the Pulmonology Outpatient Clinic during the Pandemic Period in one year? A Case Study in Turkey

Introduction and Purpose: Although the information on many aspects of COVID-19 was limited and the long-term consequences were not clear, our knowledge and experience regarding transmission, disease course, virus pathogenicity, treatments, complications, and vaccines increased. In the process, our social life, opinions, and behavior changed. In this study, we evaluated the pandemic period from the point of view of the patients. For this, the opinion and behavior of patients who were admitted to the chest diseases outpatient clinic were analyzed. Although the time of the end of the process could not be predicted, some predictions were reported. The study might be useful to plan for the pandemic, considering that the effects and course of the COVID-19 disease are not known. Materials and Methods: Between April 2020 and March 2021, 362 patients admitted to the chest diseases outpatient clinic at the Education Research Hospital were included in the study. The opinion and behavior of 176 patients were recorded in April 2020, and those of 186 patients were recorded in March 2021. The opinions, behaviors, and differences were evaluated in both periods; these characteristics were analyzed for variables such as age, sex, and occupation. Results: The mean age of the patients who participated in the study at the beginning of the pandemic was 46.1 ± 16.1 years and, in the 12th month of the pandemic, was 45.1 ± 15.1 years. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the education level and sex. The most common symptoms of patients admitted to the clinic in the second period were chest pain and weakness. The smoking cessation rate was higher in the first period of the pandemic. Compliance with social isolation rules decreased in the 12th month. The rate of patient recovery was 36%, and the drug use rate was 82.1%. Patients found the management of the pandemic to be insufficient in our country in the 12th month, while Turkish physicians evaluated it as successful in both periods. The number of people considering vaccination decreased after 12 months. Discussion and Conclusion: Social living rules, isolation, and the use of masks decreased over time. Informal social gatherings increased by the end of the first year compared to the first period of the pandemic. Young people paid less attention to the rules of social life and did not stop smoking. In the group of patients with a low education level, compliance with the drugs used in the treatment of COVID-19 and the smoking cessation rate decreased. Thus, strict restrictions should be imposed on individuals below 65 years. Current data on vaccines, along with the information on their effects and side effects, should be shared. This study showed that managing and controlling a crisis is easier when the level of education in the community is high.