GPs concerned over conspiracy theories

GPs are concerned about patients they’re seeing who believe conspiracy theories about Covid-19.

That’s according to a survey of 167 doctors, nurses, and practice managers carried out by the University of Auckland from September 3-11.

The survey, the sixth since the virus emerged in New Zealand, also found vulnerable patients were increasingly suffering the ongoing effects of Covid-19, from delayed medical appointments, anxiety and issues such as isolation, food insecurity and domestic violence.

Experts recently expressed concern that ‘‘dangerous’’ Covid19 conspiracy theories could undermine efforts to stamp out the virus.

This survey was the first time respondents had mentioned concerns about conspiracy theories.

One said they had seen ‘‘concerning comments’’ from patients about conspiracy theories.

These theories had resulted in a ‘‘failure to take responsibility to protect themselves or others’’, the GP said, including around maskwearing and lockdown measures.

Another had encountered multiple patients with ‘‘fixed ideas’’ about the theories.

The survey focused on medically vulnerable patients, such as those with type-2 diabetes or who are immune-compromised; economically vulnerable – who are living in poverty, were unemployed, recently lost their jobs, or are casual workers; and demographically vulnerable, including Ma¯ori, Pacific, migrant and elderly populations.

The vast majority – 93 per cent – of respondents thought delayed hospital admissions were continuing to impact these vulnerable groups. Seventy-one per cent of respondents thought medically vulnerable patients were avoiding consultations for new conditions, and 82 per cent thought patients were avoiding consultations for existing conditions.

For those who were economically vulnerable, 54 per cent of respondents said domestic violence was a ‘‘big issue’’, as was fear of quarantine for the demographically vulnerable.

Anxiety, isolation and loneliness was also having a major impact on all three vulnerable groups. Medical director for the College of GPs, Dr Bryan Betty, said he’d had reports from GPs of patients ‘‘questioning’’ Covid-19, largely linked to misinformation on social media.

The theories GPs hear ‘‘run a gamut’’, from extreme to more mainstream, Betty said.

These included Covid-19 being ‘‘no worse’’ than a common cold, theories about why people are wearing masks, or simply that masks don’t work, to the notion Covid-19 ‘‘doesn’t exist’’.