A cross-sectional questionnaire study in a phototherapy unit during COVID-19.

Background In March 2020, social isolation measures were imposed in Brazil to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), requiring health services to implement contingency plans. The main objective of the study was to verify the status of the disease, self-reported by patients who discontinued phototherapy, during a period of social isolation. Methods All patients receiving phototherapy at the Santa Casa de Porto Alegre, Brazil, prior to the implementation of social distancing measures were eligible for inclusion in the study. 86 patients answered a questionnaire during a medical evaluation. Results 95% of patients who stopped phototherapy reported a worsening of disease status. Only 19% of patients continued to attend phototherapy sessions during the social isolation period. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic led most patients to stop phototherapy, resulting in the perception of increased disease severity in an outpatient sample in southern Brazil.