Qualitative Study_ACS_Yogyakarta_Indonesia_2019-2022

Indonesia, located in Southeast Asia, is the world's fourth most populated country. ACS is regarded as a leading cause of death and disability in Indonesia. Prior to the COVID-19 epidemic, unmet timely care needs among ACS patients in Indonesia were a major problem. From 3 January 2020 to 16 August 2023, about 6,813,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in Indonesia, with 161,916 deaths. It is critical to understand patients' treatment seeking behavior as well as the hurdles that may contribute to delayed presentation of ACS patients to health institutions during the pandemic. This qualitative study, therefore, aimed to explore patients’ treatment seeking behavior, barriers in seeking medical treatment, and treatment experiences of patients with ACS during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings from this study could serve as an essential lesson for healthcare workers and policymakers looking to establish appropriate and practical measures to encourage individuals with ACS to seek medical care in a timely and effective manner during the next health crisis.