Authors

1 Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

2 Department of Pharmacy Practice, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Challenges faced by non-COVID-19 patients with chronic illness are limitless 
during the lockdown period. These patients are mostly immunocompromised and 
vulnerable to infection. The worst affected would be chronic disease patients with 
lower household income. Patients’ fear of approaching medical facilities and also 
travel restrictions limit the patients to reach the healthcare team, and either of 
this leads to poor health outcome. Frequent communication with chronic disease 
patients by healthcare professionals is a key to encourage the patients to be 
adherent to the medications and manage their disease conditions.

Keywords

1. Legido-Quigley H, Asgari N, Teo YY, Leung GM, 
Oshitani H, Fukuda K, et al. Are high-performing health 
systems resilient against the COVID-19 epidemic? Lancet 
2020;395:848-50.
2. Boutayeb A. The double burden of communicable and 
non-communicable diseases in developing countries. Trans R 
Soc Trop Med Hyg 2006;100:191-9.
3. Wang C, Horby PW, Hayden FG, Gao GF. A novel coronavirus 
outbreak of global health concern. Lancet 2020;395:470-3.
4. Kang C, Yang S, Yuan J, Xu L, Zhao X, Yang J. Patients 
with chronic illness urgently need integrated physical and 
psychological care during the COVID-19 outbreak. Asian J 
Psychiatr 2020;51:102081.
5. Salleh MR. Life event, stress and illness. Malays J Med Sci 
2008;15:9-18.
6. Kretchy IA, Asiedu-Danso M, Kretchy JP. Medication 
management and adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic: 
Perspectives and experiences from low-and middle-income 
countries. Res Social Adm Pharm 2020;S1551-7411(20) 
30332-6.
7. Brooks SK, Webster RK, Smith LE, Woodland L, Wessely S, 
Greenberg N, et al. The psychological impact of quarantine 
and how to reduce it: Rapid review of the evidence. Lancet 
2020;395:912-20.