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Lam GY, Wen C, Ronksley PE, Bakal JA, Bhutani M, Soril LJJ, Stickland MK, Gross DP, Weatherald J. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Healthcare Use, Exacerbations, and Mortality: A Population Study. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2024; 21:1281-1288. [PMID: 38820253 DOI: 10.1513/annalsats.202312-1078oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Existing work suggests that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (pwCOPD) presented less frequently to the emergency department and were less likely to be hospitalized during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, but it is unclear if this was due to improved health and disease management or to increased barriers and/or avoidance of health care. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the pandemic on inpatient and outpatient healthcare use, disease incidence, and mortality rates in pwCOPD. Methods: A retrospective population-based analysis using linked administrative datasets from Alberta, Canada 18 months before and after March 12, 2020 was conducted to measure hospitalization, emergency department and outpatient visits, and COPD outpatient exacerbations during these time periods. Mortality data were also analyzed before versus after the pandemic, taking confirmed COVID-19 infection within 30 days into account. Subgroup analysis based on COPD exacerbation risk stratification was undertaken to determine if healthcare use differed based on exacerbation risk. Finally, sex-based analysis of healthcare use during the pandemic was also completed. Results: Hospitalization or emergency department visits and outpatient treatment for acute exacerbations of COPD dropped, whereas total outpatient COPD visits, including both virtual and in person, increased during the pandemic for pwCOPD. The mortality rate increased even after adjusting for COVID-19-associated deaths. Sex-based subgroup analysis showed a greater drop in acute care use for females, but the rise in mortality was seen for both sexes, with men experiencing a greater rate of mortality than women. Conclusions: Overall, pwCOPD accessed acute care resources less during the pandemic, which may have contributed to a rise in non-COVID-19 all-cause mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Y Lam
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine
- Alberta Respiratory Centre
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute
- Alberta Health Services, and
| | - Chuan Wen
- Provincial Research Data Services, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Strategy for Patient Oriented Research Unit, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Paul E Ronksley
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, and
- O'Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jeffrey A Bakal
- Provincial Research Data Services, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Strategy for Patient Oriented Research Unit, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mohit Bhutani
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine
- Alberta Respiratory Centre
- Alberta Health Services, and
| | - Lesley J J Soril
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, and
- Medicine Strategic Clinical Network - Respiratory Health Section
| | - Michael K Stickland
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine
- Alberta Respiratory Centre
- Medicine Strategic Clinical Network - Respiratory Health Section
| | - Douglas P Gross
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jason Weatherald
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine
- Alberta Respiratory Centre
- Alberta Health Services, and
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Santhakumaran S, Baiad A, Ranjbari D, Correa JA, Chaudhry Z, Toffoli D. Impact of 5 waves of COVID-19 on pediatric ophthalmology. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY 2024:S0008-4182(24)00187-X. [PMID: 39106963 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2024.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize the impact of multiple waves of COVID-19 on pediatric ophthalmology at a tertiary care hospital. METHODS Medical records were reviewed from pediatric patients seen for ophthalmic emergencies at the Montreal Children's Hospital (Montreal, Canada) from 5 COVID-19 periods: March 13 to May 31, 2020; September 20, 2020, to February 21, 2021; March 21 to May 31, 2021; August 17 to November 5, 2021; and December 19, 2021, to January 25, 2022, as well as 2 pre-COVID time periods: March 13 to May 31, in 2018 and 2019). RESULTS There was a significant reduction in ophthalmic consultations when comparing pre-COVID to all 5 COVID waves (p < 0.0001). There was an increase in the average number of daily urgent (p = 0.01) ophthalmic consultations from waves 1 to 4. Mean household income of patients was not significantly different pre-COVID compared to during the 5 COVID waves (p = 0.96). The most common referral reason was ocular trauma (38.0% of cases). There was a non-significant trend demonstrating more infectious disease presentations during waves 3 to 5 (p = 0.07). There was no difference in symptom duration prior to presentation (p = 0.54); however, there was a difference in the time between emergency room and ophthalmology assessment in waves 3 and 4 compared with wave 5 (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION The number of pediatric ophthalmology consultations was less during the 5 COVID waves than pre-COVID. An increase in urgent pediatric ophthalmology consultations occurred as COVID-19 infection rates in Quebec decreased. Access to health care and time to care were preserved across waves compared with pre-pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abed Baiad
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Dorsai Ranjbari
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - José A Correa
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Zoya Chaudhry
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Daniela Toffoli
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Draut S, Müller J, Hempel JM, Schrötzlmair F, Simon F. Tenfold Increase: Acute Pediatric Mastoiditis Before, During, and After COVID-19 Restrictions. Otol Neurotol 2024; 45:777-782. [PMID: 38956778 DOI: 10.1097/mao.0000000000004238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Acute mastoiditis (AM) is a relatively rare complication arising from acute otitis media, a common condition among children. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted AM cases. We noted a surge in pediatric AM cases in Germany after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in 2022. This study assesses AM incidence and the clinical course in children before, during, and after the pandemic. The study also explores complication rates and microbial changes. METHODS Participants: We included children (0-18 yr) diagnosed with AM who underwent mastoidectomy at a tertiary-care university hospital from January 2012 to June 2023.Objectives: We aimed to evaluate AM incidence during pre-COVID, COVID, and post-COVID periods; assess complications; and analyze the microbial spectrum.Data Analysis: Incidence and complication rates were compared between periods, along with the microbial spectrum. RESULTS Population: 75 children were included (median age, 3.3 yr).Incidence: Significant increases in AM cases occurred in the post-COVID period compared to pre-COVID and COVID periods. No significant difference was observed between pre-COVID and COVID periods.Complications: Complication rates increased notably in the post-COVID period compared to pre-COVID and COVID periods with respect to more sensitive imaging methods being used in the post-COVID period. No significant difference was observed between pre-COVID and COVID periods.Spectrum of Pathogens: No significant differences were found in pathogen distribution between periods. Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae were common throughout. DISCUSSION The study highlights a substantial rise in AM cases and complications after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in Germany. This underscores the importance of monitoring infectious diseases and their complications during health crises. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of contrast-enhanced imaging. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms behind this trend. CONCLUSION The study reveals a significant increase in pediatric AM cases and complications following the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Adequate computed tomographic or magnetic resonance imaging, including contrast enhancement, is shown to be a very important parameter beside clinical symptoms in deciding for the right therapy. Thus, surgical treatment became more important. Continuous monitoring and adaptive healthcare strategies during health crises are vital for optimal patient care. Further research is warranted to understand the reasons behind these trends and to inform future pandemic preparedness efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Draut
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, LMU University Hospital, München, Germany
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Reyes-Santias F, Reboredo-Nogueira JC, Garcia-Alvarez RM, Cinza-Sanjurjo S, Gonzalez Juanatey JR. Population-based disease-group analysis of Spanish excess mortality in the early COVID-19 pandemic period. Open Heart 2024; 11:e002568. [PMID: 38851247 PMCID: PMC11163686 DOI: 10.1136/openhrt-2023-002568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Increased mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic is not explained exclusively by COVID-19 infection and its complications. We analysed non-COVID-19 causes of mortality in a population analysis based on data from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics. METHODS Using monthly mortality data in Spain (January 2010-December 2020), we analysed deaths associated with cancer, blood, endocrine, mental, nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive diseases and explored the COVID-19 impact using a difference-in-difference strategy. We calculated monthly interannual variations in mortality and computed percentage change in terms of the log of deaths in month h of year t minus the log of deaths in month h in the previous year t-1. RESULTS In 2020 in Spain, mortality increased 17.9% compared with 2019. COVID-19 was the leading cause of death (n=60 358), followed by ischaemic heart disease (n=29 654). Throughout 2020, monthly interannual variations in cardiovascular mortality showed an average upward trend of 1.7%, while digestive, cancer and blood diseases showed a downward trend. CONCLUSIONS During the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain in 2020, excess mortality was primarily related to cardiovascular mortality while mortality associated with digestive, cancer and blood diseases was reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Reyes-Santias
- University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
- IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | | | - Rosa Maria Garcia-Alvarez
- Preventive Medicine Department, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Sergio Cinza-Sanjurjo
- IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Primary Care, CS Milladoiro, SERGAS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Jose Ramon Gonzalez Juanatey
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
- IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Cardiology Department, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Gordon M, Jayakumar N, Atzema C, Korczak DJ, Kennedy S, Schaffer A, Goldstein B, Orser BA, Yee D, Fiksenbaum L, Choi LHL, Phillips A, McFarlan A, Kreller M, Freedman C, Tanenbaum B, McDowall D, Ceniti A, Sinyor M. Self-harm presentations to hospital trauma centre emergency departments during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychiatry Res 2024; 336:115892. [PMID: 38642422 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns regarding increased suicide-related behaviours. We compared characteristics and counts of Emergency Department (ED) presentations for self-harm, an important suicide-related outcome, during versus prior to the pandemic's first year. We included patients presenting with self-harm to the ED of two trauma centres in Toronto, Canada. Time series models compared intra-pandemic (March 2020-February 2021) presentation counts to predictions from pre-pandemic data. The self-harm proportion of ED presentations was compared between the intra-pandemic period and preceding three years. A retrospective chart review of eligible patients seen from March 2019-February 2021 compared pre- vs. intra-pandemic patient and injury characteristics. While monthly intra-pandemic self-harm counts were largely within expected ranges, the self-harm proportion of total presentations increased. Being widowed (OR=9.46; 95 %CI=1.10-81.08), employment/financial stressors (OR=1.65, 95 %CI=1.06-2.58), job loss (OR=3.83; 95 %CI=1.36-10.76), and chest-stabbing self-harm (OR=2.50; 95 %CI=1.16-5.39) were associated with intra-pandemic presentations. Intra-pandemic self-harm was also associated with Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission (OR=2.18, 95 %CI=1.41-3.38). In summary, while the number of self-harm presentations to these trauma centres did not increase during the early pandemic, their proportion was increased. The association of intra-pandemic self-harm with variables indicating medically severe injury, economic stressors, and being widowed may inform future suicide and self-harm prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Gordon
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, ON, Canada; Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. 1 King's College Circle, Toronto M5S 1A8, ON, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa. 451 Smyth Rd, Ottawa K1H 8M5, ON, Canada.
| | - Navitha Jayakumar
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, ON, Canada
| | - Clare Atzema
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, ON, Canada; Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. 1 King's College Circle, Toronto M5S 1A8, ON, Canada
| | - Daphne J Korczak
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. 1 King's College Circle, Toronto M5S 1A8, ON, Canada; The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto M5G 1X8, ON, Canada
| | - Sidney Kennedy
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. 1 King's College Circle, Toronto M5S 1A8, ON, Canada; St. Michael's Hospital. 36 Queen St E, Toronto M5B 1W8, ON, Canada
| | - Ayal Schaffer
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, ON, Canada; Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. 1 King's College Circle, Toronto M5S 1A8, ON, Canada
| | - Benjamin Goldstein
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. 1 King's College Circle, Toronto M5S 1A8, ON, Canada; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. 250 College St, Toronto M5T 1R8, ON, Canada
| | - Beverley A Orser
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, ON, Canada; Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. 1 King's College Circle, Toronto M5S 1A8, ON, Canada
| | - Doreen Yee
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, ON, Canada; Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. 1 King's College Circle, Toronto M5S 1A8, ON, Canada
| | - Lisa Fiksenbaum
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, ON, Canada; Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. 1 King's College Circle, Toronto M5S 1A8, ON, Canada; York University. 4700 Keele St, Toronto M3J 1P3, ON, Canada
| | - Liz Hanbyul Lee Choi
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Phillips
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, ON, Canada
| | - Amanda McFarlan
- St. Michael's Hospital. 36 Queen St E, Toronto M5B 1W8, ON, Canada
| | - Margaret Kreller
- The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto M5G 1X8, ON, Canada
| | - Corey Freedman
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, ON, Canada
| | - Brandy Tanenbaum
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, ON, Canada
| | - Dorothy McDowall
- The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto M5G 1X8, ON, Canada
| | - Amanda Ceniti
- St. Michael's Hospital. 36 Queen St E, Toronto M5B 1W8, ON, Canada
| | - Mark Sinyor
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, ON, Canada; Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. 1 King's College Circle, Toronto M5S 1A8, ON, Canada
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Thanh NX, Waye A, Stewart D, Weatherald J, Lam GY, Stickland MK, Hill MD, Choy J, Chuck AW, Wasylak T. Increased Virtual Visits to Physicians During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Estimated Impact on Physician Compensation: The Case of Lung and Colorectal Cancers, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, and Heart Failure in Alberta, Canada. Telemed J E Health 2024; 30:e2024-e2039. [PMID: 38656126 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2023.0630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic started in Alberta in March 2020 and significantly increased telehealth service use and provision reducing the risk of virus transmission. We examined the change in the number and proportion of virtual visits by physician specialty and condition (chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases [COPD], heart failure [HF], colorectal and lung cancers), as well as associated changes in physician compensation. Methods: A population-based design was used to analyze all processed physician claims comparing the number and proportion of virtual visits and associated physician billings relative to in-person between pre- (2019/2020) and intra-pandemic (2020/2021). Physician compensations were the claim amounts paid by the health insurance. Results: Pre-pandemic (intra-), there were 8,981 (8,897) lung cancer, 9,245 (9,029) colorectal, 37,558 (36,292) HF, and 68,270 (52,308) COPD patients. Each patient had totally 2.3-4.7 (of which 0.4-0.6% were virtual) general practitioner (GP) visits and 0.9-2.3 (0.2-0.7% were virtual) specialist visits per year pre-pandemic. The average number and proportion of per-patient virtual visits to GPs and specialists grew significantly pre- to intra-pandemic by 2,138-4,567%, and 2,201-7,104%, respectively. Given the lower fees of virtual compared with in-person visits, the reduction in physician compensation associated with the increased use of virtual care was estimated at $3.85 million, with $2.44 million attributed to specialist and $1.41 million to GP. Discussion: Utilization of telehealth increased significantly, while the physician billings per patient and physician compensation declined early in the pandemic in Alberta for the four chronic diseases considered. This study forms the basis for future study in understanding the impact of virtual care, now part of the fabric of health care delivery, on quality of care and patient safety, overall health service utilization (such as diagnostic imaging and other investigations), as well as economic impacts to patients, health care systems, and society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen Xuan Thanh
- Strategic Clinical Networks, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Arianna Waye
- Health Evidence & Innovation, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Douglas Stewart
- Cancer Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jason Weatherald
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Grace Y Lam
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Medicine Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Michael K Stickland
- Medicine Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Michael D Hill
- Cardiovascular Health & Stroke Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary & Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary & Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jonathan Choy
- Virtual Care Access and Navigation, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Anderson W Chuck
- Strategic Finance, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Tracy Wasylak
- Strategic Clinical Networks, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Bisneto PF, Vilhena da Silva Neto A, Mota Cordeiro JS, Monteiro WM, de Almeida Gonçalves Sachett J. Does Covid-19 influence the dynamics of envenomation by animals in a country strongly affected by both conditions? Epidemiological data from Brazil. Toxicon 2024; 244:107776. [PMID: 38795850 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
The impact of Covid-19 on envenomations by venomous animals in countries heavily affected by both conditions has not been quantified yet. Brazil shows high incidence of envenomations by scorpions, spiders and snakes and was heavily affected by waves of Covid-19. To determine how the pandemic impacted the epidemiology of envenomations by those three groups of venomous animals, we used online databases from two surveillance sources on number of cases and mortality. During the years before and during the pandemic, scorpion stings typically occurred in adults of both sexes in urban zones in the Southeast and Northeast regions. Spider bites occurred mainly in the South region, in adults of both sexes in urban zone. Snakebites affected mainly rural adult men in the Amazon. Between 2007 and 2021, overall incidence of cases by scorpions, spiders and snakes decreased after the beginning of the pandemic, snakebites did not show changes after the pandemic started in Brazil, but cases by scorpions and spiders decreased. No changes in the incidence of deaths were observed. On national level, Covid-19 affected some demographic, clinical and epidemiological aspects in cases by scorpions, spiders and snakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Ferreira Bisneto
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
| | - Alexandre Vilhena da Silva Neto
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; Escola Superior de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Jady Shayenne Mota Cordeiro
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; Escola Superior de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Jacqueline de Almeida Gonçalves Sachett
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; Escola Superior de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
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Yohannes AM. Psychosocial Support in Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Respir Care 2024; 69:664-677. [PMID: 38688547 PMCID: PMC11147630 DOI: 10.4187/respcare.11850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) improves exercise capacity and quality of life (QOL) while reducing dyspnea in patients with COPD. However, little is known about the efficacy of PR, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or antidepressant drug therapy on psychosocial factors in patients with COPD. Knowledge gaps include which therapy is most efficacious, what barriers exist for each treatment, and the optimal duration of each intervention. Potential barriers to antidepressant therapy include patient fears of potential adverse effects, apprehension and misconception, and stigma related to depression. Both CBT and PR reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms in short-term studies. However, their potential benefits over medium-to-long-term follow-up and specifically on psychosocial factors warrant exploration. Furthermore, new emerging treatment strategies such as the collaborative care model and home-based telehealth coaching are promising interventions to promote patient-centered care treatment and reduce psychosocial factors adversely affecting patients with COPD. This update and critical synthesis reviews the effectiveness of both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions on psychosocial factors in patients with COPD. It also provides brief screening tools used in the assessment of anxiety and depression for patients with COPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abebaw Mengistu Yohannes
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; and Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine and University of Alabama at Birmingham Lung Health Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.
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9
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Takahashi N, Imaeda T, Oami T, Abe T, Shime N, Komiya K, Kawamura H, Yamao Y, Fushimi K, Nakada TA. Incidence and mortality of community-acquired and nosocomial infections in Japan: a nationwide medical claims database study. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:518. [PMID: 38783190 PMCID: PMC11112762 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09353-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is important to determine the prevalence and prognosis of community-acquired infection (CAI) and nosocomial infection (NI) to develop treatment strategies and appropriate medical policies in aging society. METHODS Patients hospitalized between January 2010 and December 2019, for whom culture tests were performed and antibiotics were administered, were selected using a national claims-based database. The annual trends in incidence and in-hospital mortality were calculated and evaluated by dividing the patients into four age groups. RESULTS Of the 73,962,409 inpatients registered in the database, 9.7% and 4.7% had CAI and NI, respectively. These incidences tended to increase across the years in both the groups. Among the patients hospitalized with infectious diseases, there was a significant increase in patients aged ≥ 85 years (CAI: + 1.04%/year and NI: + 0.94%/year, P < 0.001), while there was a significant decrease in hospitalization of patients aged ≤ 64 years (CAI: -1.63%/year and NI: -0.94%/year, P < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the NI than in the CAI group (CAI: 8.3%; NI: 14.5%, adjusted mean difference 4.7%). The NI group had higher organ support, medical cost per patient, and longer duration of hospital stay. A decreasing trend in mortality was observed in both the groups (CAI: -0.53%/year and NI: -0.72%/year, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The present analysis of a large Japanese claims database showed that NI is a significant burden on hospitalized patients in aging societies, emphasizing the need to address particularly on NI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nozomi Takahashi
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, The University of British Columbia, 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Canada.
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan.
| | - Taro Imaeda
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takehiko Oami
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Toshikazu Abe
- Health Services Research and Development Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Tsukuba Memorial Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Nobuaki Shime
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Ad Hoc Committee On Clinical Research Using DPC, The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kosaku Komiya
- Ad Hoc Committee On Clinical Research Using DPC, The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
- Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Oita, Japan
| | - Hideki Kawamura
- Ad Hoc Committee On Clinical Research Using DPC, The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Kagoshima University Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Yasuo Yamao
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kiyohide Fushimi
- Department of Health Policy and Informatics, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taka-Aki Nakada
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
- Ad Hoc Committee On Clinical Research Using DPC, The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
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10
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Weissflog M, Kim S, Rajack N, Kolla NJ. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the use of restraint and seclusion interventions in Ontario emergency departments: A population-based study. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302164. [PMID: 38626126 PMCID: PMC11020601 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
While COVID-19 impacted all aspects of health care and patient treatment, particularly for patients with mental health/substance use (MH/SU) concerns, research has suggested a concerning increase in the use of restraint and seclusion (R/S) interventions, although results vary depending on facility type and patient population. Thus, the present study sought to explore COVID-related changes in the use of R/S interventions among patients presenting to Ontario emergency departments (EDs) with MH/SU complaints. To determine whether temporal and clinical factors were associated with changes in R/S use during COVID, binary logistic regression models were computed using data from the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System database. We then compared both prevalence rates and probability of an R/S event occurring during an ED visit in Ontario before and after the onset of COVID. The number of ED visits during which an R/S event occurred for patients presenting with MH/SU concerns increased by 9.5%, while their odds of an R/S event occurring during an ED visit increased by 23% in Ontario after COVID onset. Similarly, R/S event probability increased for patients presenting with MH/SU concerns after COVID onset (0.7% - 21.3% increase), particularly during the first wave, with the greatest increases observed for concerns associated with increased restraint risk pre-COVID. R/S intervention use increased substantially for patients presenting to Ontario EDs with MH/SU concerns during the first wave of COVID when the strain on healthcare system and uncertainty about the virus was arguably greatest. Patients with concerns already associated with increased R/S risk also showed the largest increases in R/S probability, suggesting increased behavioural issues during treatment among this population after COVID onset. These results have the potential to inform existing policies to mitigate risks associated with R/S intervention use during future public health emergencies and in general practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Weissflog
- Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada
| | - Soyeon Kim
- Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Natalie Rajack
- Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nathan J. Kolla
- Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada
- Forensic Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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11
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Sim JK, Lee HS, Yang J, Gwack J, Kim BI, Cha JO, Min KH, Lee YS. Comparative Analysis of Clinical Outcomes Using Propensity Score Matching: Coronavirus Disease 2019 vs. Seasonal Influenza in Korea. J Korean Med Sci 2024; 39:e128. [PMID: 38622937 PMCID: PMC11018986 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The advent of the omicron variant and the formulation of diverse therapeutic strategies marked a new epoch in the realm of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Studies have compared the clinical outcomes between COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, but such studies were conducted during the early stages of the pandemic when effective treatment strategies had not yet been developed, which limits the generalizability of the findings. Therefore, an updated evaluation of the comparative analysis of clinical outcomes between COVID-19 and seasonal influenza is requisite. METHODS This study used data from the severe acute respiratory infection surveillance system of South Korea. We extracted data for influenza patients who were infected between 2018 and 2019 and COVID-19 patients who were infected in 2021 (pre-omicron period) and 2022 (omicron period). Comparisons of outcomes were conducted among the pre-omicron, omicron, and influenza cohorts utilizing propensity score matching. The adjusted covariates in the propensity score matching included age, sex, smoking, and comorbidities. RESULTS The study incorporated 1,227 patients in the pre-omicron cohort, 1,948 patients in the omicron cohort, and 920 patients in the influenza cohort. Following propensity score matching, 491 patients were included in each respective group. Clinical presentations exhibited similarities between the pre-omicron and omicron cohorts; however, COVID-19 patients demonstrated a higher prevalence of dyspnea and pulmonary infiltrates compared to their influenza counterparts. Both COVID-19 groups exhibited higher in-hospital mortality and longer hospital length of stay than the influenza group. The omicron group showed no significant improvement in clinical outcomes compared to the pre-omicron group. CONCLUSION The omicron group did not demonstrate better clinical outcomes than the pre-omicron group, and exhibited significant disease severity compared to the influenza group. Considering the likely persistence of COVID-19 infections, it is imperative to sustain comprehensive studies and ongoing policy support for the virus to enhance the prognosis for individuals affected by COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Kyeom Sim
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hye Sun Lee
- Biostatistics Collaboration Unit, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Juyeon Yang
- Biostatistics Collaboration Unit, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jin Gwack
- Division of Infectious Disease Control, Bureau of Infectious Disease Policy, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Cheongju, Korea
| | - Bryan Inho Kim
- Division of Infectious Disease Control, Bureau of Infectious Disease Policy, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Cheongju, Korea
| | - Jeong-Ok Cha
- Division of Infectious Disease Control, Bureau of Infectious Disease Policy, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Cheongju, Korea
| | - Kyung Hoon Min
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Seok Lee
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
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12
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Kwon HS, Sung W, Park KU, Kim SH, Koh SH, Lim JS, Choi H. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality and loss to follow-up among patients with dementia receiving anti-dementia medications. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7986. [PMID: 38575660 PMCID: PMC10994909 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58316-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly impacted vulnerable groups, such as patients with dementia. We examined changes in mortality and loss to follow-up in patients with dementia using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service research database. Patients with dementia who visited a medical institution with a recorded dementia-related diagnostic code, including Alzheimer's disease, and who received anti-dementia medication between February 2018 and January 2020 were included in this study. We divided patients with dementia receiving anti-dementia medications into two cohorts: those newly diagnosed with dementia between February 2018 and January 2019 (n = 62,631) and those diagnosed between February 2019 and January 2020 (n = 54,494). Then, we conducted a one-year follow-up of their records, tracking the cohort diagnosed between February 2018 and January 2019 from February 2019 to January 2020, as well as the cohort diagnosed between February 2019 and January 2020 from February 2020 to January 2021. There was a significant increase in follow-up loss among patients newly diagnosed with dementia during the COVID-19 outbreak, from 42.04% in 2019 to 45.89% in 2020. Female sex, younger age, fewer comorbidities, diagnosis of dementia at the Department of Neurology or Psychiatry, and higher income were associated with decreased follow-up loss and mortality. This study highlights the importance of paying extra attention to patients with dementia receiving anti-dementia medications, particularly during pandemics, given their increased risk of loss to follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuk Sung Kwon
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Guri, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonjae Sung
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun U Park
- Claim Data Analyst, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hyun Kim
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Ho Koh
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Guri, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Sung Lim
- Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hojin Choi
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Guri, Republic of Korea.
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13
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Lee KS, Han C, Min HS, Lee J, Youn SH, Kim Y, Moon JY, Lee YS, Kim SJ, Sung HK. Impact of the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department-to-intensive care unit admissions in Korea: an interrupted time-series analysis. BMC Emerg Med 2024; 24:51. [PMID: 38561666 PMCID: PMC10985913 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-024-00968-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in significant disruptions to critical care systems globally. However, research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on intensive care unit (ICU) admissions via the emergency department (ED) is limited. Therefore, this study evaluated the changes in the number of ED-to-ICU admissions and clinical outcomes in the periods before and during the pandemic. METHODS We identified all adult patients admitted to the ICU through level 1 or 2 EDs in Korea between February 2018 and January 2021. February 2020 was considered the onset point of the COVID-19 pandemic. The monthly changes in the number of ED-to-ICU admissions and the in-hospital mortality rates before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were evaluated using interrupted time-series analysis. RESULTS Among the 555,793 adult ED-to-ICU admissions, the number of ED-to-ICU admissions during the pandemic decreased compared to that before the pandemic (step change, 0.916; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.869-0.966], although the trend did not attain statistical significance (slope change, 0.997; 95% CI 0.991-1.003). The proportion of patients who arrived by emergency medical services, those transferred from other hospitals, and those with injuries declined significantly among the number of ED-to-ICU admissions during the pandemic. The proportion of in-hospital deaths significantly increased during the pandemic (step change, 1.054; 95% CI 1.003-1.108); however, the trend did not attain statistical significance (slope change, 1.001; 95% CI 0.996-1.007). Mortality rates in patients with an ED length of stay of ≥ 6 h until admission to the ICU rose abruptly following the onset of the pandemic (step change, 1.169; 95% CI 1.021-1.339). CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected ED-to-ICU admission and in-hospital mortality rates in Korea. This study's findings have important implications for healthcare providers and policymakers planning the management of future outbreaks of infectious diseases. Strategies are needed to address the challenges posed by pandemics and improve the outcomes in critically ill patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Shin Lee
- Public Health Research Institute, National Medical Center, 245 Eulgi-ro, Jung-gu, 04564, Seoul, Korea
| | - Changwoo Han
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Hye Sook Min
- Public Health Research Institute, National Medical Center, 245 Eulgi-ro, Jung-gu, 04564, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeehye Lee
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Konkuk University College of Medicine, Chungju-si, Korea
| | - Seok Hwa Youn
- Department of Trauma Surgery, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Younghwan Kim
- Department of Trauma Surgery, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae Young Moon
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Sejong, Korea
| | - Young Seok Lee
- Division of Pulmonology, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Su Jin Kim
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ho Kyung Sung
- Public Health Research Institute, National Medical Center, 245 Eulgi-ro, Jung-gu, 04564, Seoul, Korea.
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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14
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Marasović Šušnjara I, Mijaković M, Jurčev Savičević A. The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Hospitalizations for Ambulatory Care-Sensitive Conditions in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:523. [PMID: 38674169 PMCID: PMC11052272 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60040523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: We aimed to explore whether the COVID-19 pandemic influenced hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs) in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. Materials and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional comparative study using two different time periods, the pre-pandemic (from March 2019 to February 2020) and the pandemic period (from March 2020 to February 2021), to explore the possible influences that the COVID-19 pandemic had on hospitalizations for ACSCs. The ACSCs were classified into the categories of vaccine-preventable, chronic, and acute disease. The indicators were statistically analyzed. Results: During the pandemic, a decrease in the total number of hospitalizations and ACSC hospitalizations was recorded. The relative risk for having any ACSC hospitalization in the pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period was 0.67 (95% CI, 0.64-0.71; p = 0). The risk reduction was seen in all three categories of vaccine-preventable ACSCs, chronic disease, and acute disease. Large reductions were found in the relative risk of hospitalization for COPD and asthma. Considering the mode of discharge, there was a statistically significantly higher risk of ACSCs with fatal outcomes during the pandemic than in the pre-pandemic period (relative risk 1.31; 95% CI, 1.01-1.7; p = 0.0197). Conclusions: The results of this study show that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the total number of hospitalizations as well as hospitalizations relating to ACSCs. Certainly, one of the reasons for these changes was due to organizational changes in the working of the entire health system due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Marasović Šušnjara
- Teaching Public Health Institute of Split-Dalmatia County, 21000 Split, Croatia; (I.M.Š.); (M.M.)
- University Department of Health Studies, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Marijana Mijaković
- Teaching Public Health Institute of Split-Dalmatia County, 21000 Split, Croatia; (I.M.Š.); (M.M.)
| | - Anamarija Jurčev Savičević
- Teaching Public Health Institute of Split-Dalmatia County, 21000 Split, Croatia; (I.M.Š.); (M.M.)
- University Department of Health Studies, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
- School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
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15
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Chai Y, Man KKC, Luo H, Torre CO, Wing YK, Hayes JF, Osborn DPJ, Chang WC, Lin X, Yin C, Chan EW, Lam ICH, Fortin S, Kern DM, Lee DY, Park RW, Jang JW, Li J, Seager S, Lau WCY, Wong ICK. Incidence of mental health diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multinational network study. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 2024; 33:e9. [PMID: 38433286 PMCID: PMC10940053 DOI: 10.1017/s2045796024000088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
AIMS Population-wide restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic may create barriers to mental health diagnosis. This study aims to examine changes in the number of incident cases and the incidence rates of mental health diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS By using electronic health records from France, Germany, Italy, South Korea and the UK and claims data from the US, this study conducted interrupted time-series analyses to compare the monthly incident cases and the incidence of depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, alcohol misuse or dependence, substance misuse or dependence, bipolar disorders, personality disorders and psychoses diagnoses before (January 2017 to February 2020) and after (April 2020 to the latest available date of each database [up to November 2021]) the introduction of COVID-related restrictions. RESULTS A total of 629,712,954 individuals were enrolled across nine databases. Following the introduction of restrictions, an immediate decline was observed in the number of incident cases of all mental health diagnoses in the US (rate ratios (RRs) ranged from 0.005 to 0.677) and in the incidence of all conditions in France, Germany, Italy and the US (RRs ranged from 0.002 to 0.422). In the UK, significant reductions were only observed in common mental illnesses. The number of incident cases and the incidence began to return to or exceed pre-pandemic levels in most countries from mid-2020 through 2021. CONCLUSIONS Healthcare providers should be prepared to deliver service adaptations to mitigate burdens directly or indirectly caused by delays in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Chai
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- The Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Kenneth K. C. Man
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Research Department of Practice and Policy, UCL School of Pharmacy, London, UK
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D4H), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong
| | - Hao Luo
- The Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Sau Po Centre on Ageing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Carmen Olga Torre
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Real World Data Sciences, Roche, Welwyn Garden City, UK
- School of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Yun Kwok Wing
- Li Chiu Kong Family Sleep Assessment Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Joseph F. Hayes
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
- Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - David P. J. Osborn
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
- Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Wing Chung Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xiaoyu Lin
- Real-World Solutions, IQVIA, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Can Yin
- Real-World Solutions, IQVIA, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Esther W. Chan
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D4H), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong
- The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Ivan C. H. Lam
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Stephen Fortin
- Observation Health Data Analytics, Janssen Research & Development, Titusville, NJ, USA
| | - David M. Kern
- Department of Epidemiology, Janssen Research & Development, Titusville, NJ, USA
| | - Dong Yun Lee
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Rae Woong Park
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Jae-Won Jang
- Department of Neurology, Kangwon National University Hospital, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, South Korea
| | - Jing Li
- Real-World Solutions, IQVIA, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Wallis C. Y. Lau
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Research Department of Practice and Policy, UCL School of Pharmacy, London, UK
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D4H), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong
| | - Ian C. K. Wong
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Research Department of Practice and Policy, UCL School of Pharmacy, London, UK
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16
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Stowell JR, Henry MB, Pugsley P, Edwards J, Burton H, Norquist C, Katz ED, Koenig BW, Indermuhle S, Subbian V, Ghaderi H, Akhter M. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Emergency Department Encounters in a Major Metropolitan Area. J Emerg Med 2024; 66:e383-e390. [PMID: 38278682 DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2023.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The end of 2019 marked the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public avoidance of health care facilities, including the emergency department (ED), has been noted during prior pandemics. OBJECTIVE This study described pandemic-related changes in adult and pediatric ED presentations, acuity, and hospitalization rates during the pandemic in a major metropolitan area. METHODS The study was a cross-sectional analysis of ED visits occurring before and during the pandemic. Sites collected daily ED patient census; monthly ED patient acuity, as the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) score; and disposition. Prepandemic ED visits occurring from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019 were compared with ED visits occurring during the pandemic from January 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021. The change in prepandemic and pandemic ED volume was found using 7-day moving average of proportions. RESULTS The study enrolled 83.8% of the total ED encounters. Pandemic adult and pediatric visit volume decreased to as low as 44.7% (95% CI 43.1-46.3%; p < 0.001) and 22.1% (95% CI 19.3-26.0%; p < 0.001), respectively, of prepandemic volumes. There was also a relative increase in adult and pediatric acuity (ESI level 1-3) and the admission percentage for adult (20.3% vs. 22.9%; p < 0.01) and pediatric (5.1% vs. 5.6%; p < 0.01) populations. CONCLUSIONS Total adult and pediatric encounters were reduced significantly across a major metropolitan area. Patient acuity and hospitalization rates were relatively increased. The development of strategies for predicting ED avoidance will be important in future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey R Stowell
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Creighton University School of Medicine (Phoenix) Program, Phoenix, Arizona; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona; Department of Emergency Medicine, Valleywise Health, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Michael B Henry
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Creighton University School of Medicine (Phoenix) Program, Phoenix, Arizona; Department of Emergency Medicine, Valleywise Health, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Paul Pugsley
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Creighton University School of Medicine (Phoenix) Program, Phoenix, Arizona; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona; Department of Emergency Medicine, Valleywise Health, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Jennifer Edwards
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Heather Burton
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Valleywise Health, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Craig Norquist
- Department of Emergency Medicine, HonorHealth, Scottsdale, Arizona
| | - Eric D Katz
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona; Banner Medical Group, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - B Witkind Koenig
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Creighton University School of Medicine (Phoenix) Program, Phoenix, Arizona; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona; Department of Emergency Medicine, Valleywise Health, Phoenix, Arizona; EMPower Emergency Physicians, Scottsdale, Arizona
| | | | - Vignesh Subbian
- College of Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Hamid Ghaderi
- College of Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Murtaza Akhter
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Creighton University School of Medicine (Phoenix) Program, Phoenix, Arizona; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona; Department of Emergency Medicine, Valleywise Health, Phoenix, Arizona; Kendall Regional Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, HCA Healthcare, Miami, Florida; Department of Emergency Medicine, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania
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17
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Razimoghadam M, Yaseri M, Rezaee M, Fazaeli A, Daroudi R. Non-COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran: a longitudinal assessment of 41 million people in 2019-2022. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:380. [PMID: 38317148 PMCID: PMC10840276 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17819-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During a COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to investigate the outcomes of all non-COVID-19 diseases. This study determines hospital admissions and mortality rates related to non-COVID-19 diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic among 41 million Iranians. METHOD This nationwide retrospective study used data from the Iran Health Insurance Organization. From September 23, 2019, to Feb 19, 2022, there were four study periods: pre-pandemic (Sept 23-Feb 19, 2020), first peak (Mar 20-Apr 19, 2020), first year (Feb 20, 2020-Feb 18, 2021), and the second year (Feb 19, 2021-Feb 19, 2022) following the pandemic. Cause-specific hospital admission and in-hospital mortality are the main outcomes analyzed based on age and sex. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate the monthly adjusted Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) to compare hospital admission rates in aggregated data. A logistic regression was used to estimate the monthly adjusted in-hospital mortality Odds Ratio (OR) for different pandemic periods. RESULTS During the study there were 6,522,114 non-COVID-19 hospital admissions and 139,679 deaths. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the standardized hospital admission rate per million person-month was 7115.19, which decreased to 2856.35 during the first peak (IRR 0.40, [0.25-0.64]). In-hospital mortality also increased from 20.20 to 31.99 (OR 2.05, [1.97-2.13]). All age and sex groups had decreased admission rates, except for females at productive ages. Two years after the COVID-19 outbreak, the non-COVID-19 hospital admission rate (IRR 1.25, [1.13-1.40]) and mortality rate (OR 1.05, [1.04-1.07]) increased compared to the rates before the pandemic. The respiratory disease admission rate decreased in the first (IRR 0.23, [0.17-0.31]) and second years (IRR 0.35, [0.26-0.47] compared to the rate before the pandemic. There was a significant reduction in hospitalizations for pneumonia (IRR 0.30, [0.21-0.42]), influenza (IRR 0.04, [0.03-0.06]) and COPD (IRR 0.39, [0.23-0.65]) during the second year. There was a significant and continuous rise in the hematological admission rate during the study, reaching 186.99 per million person-month in the second year, reflecting an IRR of 2.84 [2.42-3.33] compared to the pre-pandemic period. The mortality rates of mental disorders (OR 2.15, [1.65-2.78]) and musculoskeletal (OR 1.48, [1.20-1.82), nervous system (OR 1.42, [1.26-1.60]), metabolic (OR 1.99, [1.80-2.19]) and circulatory diseases (OR 1.35, [1.31-1.39]) increased in the second year compare to pre-pandemic. Myocardial infarction (OR 1.33, [1.19-1.49]), heart failure (OR 1.59, [1.35-1.87]) and stroke (OR 1.35, [1.24-1.47]) showed an increase in mortality rates without changes in hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS In the era of COVID-19, the changes seem to have had a long-term effect on non-COVID-19 diseases. Countries should prepare for similar crises in the future to ensure medical services are not suspended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahya Razimoghadam
- Department of Health Management, Policy and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Yaseri
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Rezaee
- Department of Orthopedics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- National Center for Health Insurance Research, Tehran, Iran
| | - Aliakbar Fazaeli
- Department of Health Management, Policy and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Rajabali Daroudi
- Department of Health Management, Policy and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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18
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V Carvalho AS, Broekema B, Brito Fernandes Ó, Klazinga N, Kringos D. Acute care pathway assessed through performance indicators during the COVID-19 pandemic in OECD countries (2020-2021): a scoping review. BMC Emerg Med 2024; 24:19. [PMID: 38273229 PMCID: PMC10811879 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-024-00938-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted care for non-COVID patients. Performance indicators to monitor acute care, timely reported and internationally accepted, lacked during the pandemic in OECD countries. This study aims to summarize the performance indicators available in the literature to monitor changes in the quality of acute care in OECD countries during the first year and a half of the pandemic (2020-July 2021) and to assess their trends. METHODS Scoping review. Search in Embase and MEDLINE (07-07-2022). Acute care performance indicators and indicators related to acute general surgery were collected and collated following a care pathway approach. Indicators assessing identical clinical measures were grouped under a common indicator title. The trends from each group of indicators were collated (increase/decrease/stable). RESULTS A total of 152 studies were included. 2354 indicators regarding general acute care and 301 indicators related to acute general surgery were included. Indicators focusing on pre-hospital services reported a decreasing trend in the volume of patients: from 225 indicators, 110 (49%) reported a decrease. An increasing trend in pre-hospital treatment times was reported by most of the indicators (n = 41;70%) and a decreasing trend in survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (n = 61;75%). Concerning care provided in the emergency department, most of the indicators (n = 752;71%) showed a decreasing trend in admissions across all levels of urgency. Concerning the mortality rate after admission, most of the indicators (n = 23;53%) reported an increasing trend. The subset of indicators assessing acute general surgery showed a decreasing trend in the volume of patients (n = 50;49%), stability in clinical severity at admission (n = 36;53%), and in the volume of surgeries (n = 14;47%). Most of the indicators (n = 28;65%) reported no change in treatment approach and stable mortality rate (n = 11,69%). CONCLUSION This review signals relevant disruptions across the acute care pathway. A subset of general surgery performance indicators showed stability in most of the phases of the care pathway. These results highlight the relevance of assessing this care pathway more regularly and systematically across different clinical entities to monitor disruptions and to improve the resilience of emergency services during a crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofia V Carvalho
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Bente Broekema
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Dijklander Hospital, Location Hoorn, Maelsonstraat 3, Hoorn, 1624 NP, The Netherlands
| | - Óscar Brito Fernandes
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Niek Klazinga
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dionne Kringos
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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19
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Behnoush AH, Bazmi E, Khalaji A, Jafari-Mehdiabad A, Barzegari N, Dehpour AR, Behnoush B. The trend of poisonings before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2098. [PMID: 38267612 PMCID: PMC10808127 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52537-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has substantially affected people and healthcare systems. One of the main challenges was the reduction and change in the pattern of non-COVID-19 diseases and conditions. Moreover, due to the mental burden of the pandemic, the trend of poisonings and abuses changed. In this study, we aimed to assess the trends of poisonings from different agents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using the interrupted time series method. This study was conducted at one of the main Tehran referral centers for poisoning, Baharloo Hospital. Pre-COVID-19 period was defined as April 2018 to January 2020 while the COVID-19 time was from February 2020 to March 2022. The total number of monthly poisoning cases in addition to eight categories of drugs/substances/agents were identified, including drugs (such as psychiatric drugs, cardiovascular drugs, and analgesics), opioids, stimulants, methanol, ethanol, cannabis, pesticides, and carbon monoxide. Interrupted time series analysis was performed to compare the pre-pandemic trend of total monthly cases from each category in addition to the proportion (%) of each one. In total, 13,020 cases were poisoned during the study period, among which 6088 belonged to the pre-pandemic period and 6932 were admitted during the COVID-19 era. There was no significant difference in terms of demographic characteristics of patients before and during the pandemic (p-value > 0.05). At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a sudden fall in the number of poisoning patients (- 77.2 cases/month, p-value = 0.003), however, there was a significant increasing trend during the COVID time (3.9 cases/month, p-value = 0.006). Most of the categories had a sharp decrease at the beginning of the pandemic except for methanol and ethanol which had increases, although not significant. Cannabis also had a significant change in slope (- 0.6 cases/month, p-value = 0.016), in addition to the sudden decrease at the beginning of the pandemic (- 10 cases/month, p-value = 0.007). Regarding the proportion of each category from total monthly poisoning cases, methanol, and ethanol had immediate rises of 4.2% per month and 10.1% per month, respectively (both significant). The pandemic had significant effects on the pattern of poisonings from different agents in Iran, the most important of which were alcohol (ethanol and methanol). These differences had policy implications that can be helpful for policymakers and healthcare systems in combating similar situations in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elham Bazmi
- Legal Medicine Research Center, Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Nasrin Barzegari
- School of Medicine, Baharloo Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahmad-Reza Dehpour
- Experimental Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behnam Behnoush
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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20
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Matsuzono K, Mashiko T, Anan Y, Koide R, Yoshizumi H, Fujimoto S. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mortality and cognitive function of dementia patients: Tochigi Dementia Cohort Study. J Neurol Sci 2024; 456:122840. [PMID: 38091803 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2023.122840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic significantly affected Japanese society and the health of its population. Despite this, few studies have evaluated the influence of the pandemic on patients with neurological diseases or dementia, which we assessed through the Tochigi Dementia Cohort Study. METHODS Participants were divided into two groups. The pre-pandemic group included patients who were enrolled from December 1, 2016 to November 30, 2018, and were followed up until November 30, 2019 (i.e., before the pandemic). The post-pandemic group included patients who were enrolled from December 1, 2019 to November 30, 2021, and were followed up until November 30, 2022 (i.e., during the pandemic). We recorded their age, sex, mortality, and treatment withdrawal during the follow-up period. Furthermore, we examined their cognitive function at the baseline, and after 6 and 12 months. RESULTS A total of 384 patients were enrolled in this study, including 199 patients in the pre-pandemic group and 185 in the post-pandemic group. The mortality of dementia patients was significantly higher in the post-pandemic group than in the pre-pandemic group" (5.3% vs. 18.5%, p < 0.05*). The cognitive function scores at 12 months were also significantly lower in the dementia patients of the post-pandemic group than in those of the pre-pandemic group (p < 0.05*). CONCLUSIONS This longitudinal cohort study conducted in a local Japanese area revealed that mortality rate and cognitive function worsened in dementia patients during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Matsuzono
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan; Department of Medicine, Kamitsuga General Hospital, Tochigi, Japan; Department of Internal Medicine, Imai Hospital, Tochigi, Japan.
| | - Takafumi Mashiko
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
| | - Yuhei Anan
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
| | - Reiji Koide
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
| | | | - Shigeru Fujimoto
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
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21
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Razimoghadam M, Yaseri M, Effatpanah M, Daroudi R. Changes in emergency department visits and mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective analysis of 956 hospitals. Arch Public Health 2024; 82:5. [PMID: 38216989 PMCID: PMC10785366 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-023-01234-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 pandemic, many non-COVID-19 emergency department (ED) visits were indirectly affected. ED visits and mortality were assessed during different pandemic time periods compared with pre-pandemic. METHODS The study used data from 41 million Iran Health Insurance Organization members. The outcomes were non-COVID-19 ED visits and associated mortality in 956 hospitals. An analysis of ED visits was conducted both for all-cause and cause-specific conditions: cardiovascular diseases (CVD), mental and substance use disorders, unintentional injuries, and self-harm. In addition, total in-hospital ED mortality was analyzed. A negative binomial regression and a Poisson regression with a log link were used to estimate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of visits and mortality relative risk (RR). RESULTS 1,789,831 ED visits and 12,377 deaths were reported during the study. Pre-pandemic (Sep 2019 to Feb 2020), there were 2,767 non-COVID-19 visits rate per million person-month, which decreased to 1,884 during the first COVID-19 wave with a national lockdown from Feb 20 to Apr 19, 2020 (IRR 0.68, [0.56-0.84]). The non-COVID-19 ED mortality risk was 8.17 per 1,000 visit-month during the pre-pandemic period, rising to 12.80 during the first wave of COVID-19 (RR 1.57, [1.49-165]). Non-COVID-19 ED visit rates decreased during the first pandemic year from Sep 2020 to Feb 2021 (IRR 0.73, [0.63-0.86]), but increased after COVID-19 vaccination two years later from Sep 2021 to Feb 2022 (IRR 1.11, [0.96-0.17]). The total ED mortality risk for non-COVID-19 was significantly higher after the COVID-19 outbreak in the first (RR 1.66, [1.59-1.72]) and second years (RR 1.27, [1.22-1.32]) of the pandemic. The visit incidence rate for mental health and substance use disorders declined from 8.18 per million person-month to 4.57 (IRR 0.53, [0.32 to 0.90]) in the first wave. In the second year, unintentional injury visits increased significantly compared with pre-pandemic (IRR 1.63, [1.30-2.03]). As compared to before the pandemic, there was no significant change in CVD and self-harm visit rates during the pandemic. Cardiac arrest was the leading cause of death in Iran hospitals' EDs. CONCLUSION In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, non-COVID-19 hospital ED visits declined and mortality risk increased. Despite two years since the COVID-19 outbreak, non-COVID-19 ED mortality risk remains high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahya Razimoghadam
- Department of Health Management, policy and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mehdi Yaseri
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Effatpanah
- Pediatric department, School of Medicine, Imam Khomeini hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- National Center for Health Insurance Research, Tehran, Iran
| | - Rajabali Daroudi
- Department of Health Management, policy and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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22
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Green MA, McKee M, Massey J, Mackenna B, Mehrkar A, Bacon S, Macleod J, Sheikh A, Shah SA, Katikireddi SV. Trends in inequalities in avoidable hospitalisations across the COVID-19 pandemic: a cohort study of 23.5 million people in England. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e077948. [PMID: 38191251 PMCID: PMC10806625 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-077948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether periods of disruption were associated with increased 'avoidable' hospital admissions and wider social inequalities in England. DESIGN Observational repeated cross-sectional study. SETTING England (January 2019 to March 2022). PARTICIPANTS With the approval of NHS England we used individual-level electronic health records from OpenSAFELY, which covered ~40% of general practices in England (mean monthly population size 23.5 million people). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES We estimated crude and directly age-standardised rates for potentially preventable unplanned hospital admissions: ambulatory care sensitive conditions and urgent emergency sensitive conditions. We considered how trends in these outcomes varied by three measures of social and spatial inequality: neighbourhood socioeconomic deprivation, ethnicity and geographical region. RESULTS There were large declines in avoidable hospitalisations during the first national lockdown (March to May 2020). Trends increased post-lockdown but never reached 2019 levels. The exception to these trends was for vaccine-preventable ambulatory care sensitive admissions which remained low throughout 2020-2021. While trends were consistent by each measure of inequality, absolute levels of inequalities narrowed across levels of neighbourhood socioeconomic deprivation, Asian ethnicity (compared with white ethnicity) and geographical region (especially in northern regions). CONCLUSIONS We found no evidence that periods of healthcare disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in more avoidable hospitalisations. Falling avoidable hospital admissions has coincided with declining inequalities most strongly by level of deprivation, but also for Asian ethnic groups and northern regions of England.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Alan Green
- Geography & Planning, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Jon Massey
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Brian Mackenna
- Medicines and Diagnostics Policy Unit, NHS England, London, UK
| | - Amir Mehrkar
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Seb Bacon
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Aziz Sheikh
- Division of Community Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Syed Ahmar Shah
- The University of Edinburgh Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, Edinburgh, UK
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23
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Wyer L, Guterman Y, Ewa V, Lang E, Faris P, Holroyd-Leduc J. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on transfers between long-term care and emergency departments across Alberta. BMC Emerg Med 2024; 24:9. [PMID: 38185672 PMCID: PMC10773029 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-023-00926-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-term care (LTC) was overwhelmingly impacted by COVID-19 and unnecessary transfer to emergency departments (ED) can have negative health outcomes. This study aimed to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted LTC to ED transfers and hospitalizations, utilization of community paramedics and facilitated conversations between LTC and ED physicians during the first four waves of the pandemic in Alberta, Canada. METHODS In this retrospective population-based study, administrative databases were linked to identify episodes of care for LTC residents who resided in facilities in Alberta, Canada. This study included data from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021 to capture outcomes prior to the onset of the pandemic and across the first four waves. Individuals were included if they visited an emergency department, received care from a community paramedic or whose care involved a facilitated conversation between LTC and ED physicians during this time period. RESULTS Transfers to ED and hospitalizations from LTC have been gradually declining since 2018 with a sharp decline seen during wave 1 of the pandemic that was greatest in the lowest-priority triage classification (CTAS 5). Community paramedic visits were highest during the first two waves of the pandemic before declining in subsequent waves; facilitated calls between LTC and ED physicians increased during the waves. CONCLUSIONS There was a reduction in number of transfers from LTC to EDs and in hospitalizations during the first four waves of the pandemic. This was supported by increased conversations between LTC and ED physicians, but was not associated with increased community paramedic visits. Additional work is needed to explore how programs such as community paramedics and facilitated conversations between LTC and ED providers can help to reduce unnecessary transfers to hospital.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanna Wyer
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | | | - Vivian Ewa
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Eddy Lang
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Peter Faris
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jayna Holroyd-Leduc
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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24
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Ramadani RV, Svensson M, Hassler S, Hidayat B, Ng N. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare utilization among older adults with cardiovascular diseases and multimorbidity in Indonesia: an interrupted time-series analysis. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:71. [PMID: 38166721 PMCID: PMC10763491 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17568-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted healthcare utilization globally, but little is known about the effects among patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and other multimorbidities. This study analyzed the impacts of COVID-19 on healthcare utilization for patients aged 30 years and older with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) with or without other chronic disease comorbidities in Indonesia. METHODS We designed a retrospective cohort study based on the Indonesian National Health Insurance (NHI) sample data from 2016-2020. We defined healthcare utilization as monthly outpatient and inpatient visits related to chronic diseases at the hospital and primary healthcare levels per 10,000 NHI members. We used interrupted time series analysis to evaluate how the healthcare utilization patterns had changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS Overall, hospital outpatient visits decreased by 39% when the pandemic occurred (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.48,0.76), inpatient visits by 28% (95% CI: 0.62,0.83), and primary healthcare visits by 34% (95% CI:0.55, 0.81). For patients with CVDs and multimorbidity, hospital outpatient and inpatient visit rates were reduced by 36% and 38%, respectively and primary healthcare visits by 32%. Some insignificant differences in the reduction of out-and inpatient visits were observed across diagnosis groups and regions. CONCLUSION Healthcare utilization among patients with chronic diseases decreased significantly during COVID-19 and consistently across different chronic diseases and regions. To cope with the unmet needs of healthcare utilization in the context of the pandemic, the healthcare system needs to be strengthened to cater to the needs of the population-at-risk, especially for patients with CVDs and multimorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Royasia Viki Ramadani
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Center for Health Economics and Policy Studies, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
| | - Mikael Svensson
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes & Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
| | - Sven Hassler
- Department of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Budi Hidayat
- Center for Health Economics and Policy Studies, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Nawi Ng
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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25
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Sawicka KM, Catanese L, Williams J, Crellin L, Francis T, Katsanos AH, Shoamanesh A, Chen J, Pikula A, Schaafsma JD. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Stroke Subtype Presentation in Patients Without COVID-19 Infection. Can J Neurol Sci 2024; 51:78-86. [PMID: 36715071 DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2023.19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS It is unknown if the COVID-19 pandemic and public health measures had an immediate impact on stroke subtypes and etiologies in patients not infected with COVID-19. We aimed to evaluate if the proportion of non-COVID-19-related stroke subtypes (ischemic vs. hemorrhagic) and etiologies (cardioembolic, atherosclerosis, small vessel disease, and others) during the pandemic's first wave were different from prepandemic. METHODS For this retrospective cohort study, we included patients without COVID-19 with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke at two large Canadian stroke centers between March-May 2019 (prepandemic cohort) and March-May 2020 (pandemic cohort). Proportions of stroke subtypes and etiologies were compared between cohorts using chi-square tests. RESULTS The prepandemic cohort consisted of 234 stroke patients and the pandemic cohort of 207 stroke patients. There were no major differences in baseline characteristics. The proportions of ischemic versus hemorrhagic stroke were similar (ischemic stroke: 77% prepandemic vs. 75% pandemic; hemorrhagic stroke:12% prepandemic vs. 14% pandemic; p > 0.05). There were no differences in etiologies, except for a decreased proportion of ischemic stroke due to atherosclerosis in the pandemic cohort (26% prepandemic vs. 15% pandemic; difference: 10.6%, 95%CI: 1.4-19.7; p = 0.03). Notably, during the pandemic, the cause of ischemic stroke was more often unknown because of incomplete work-up (13.3% prepandemic vs. 28.2% pandemic, difference: 14.9%, 95%-CI: 5.7-24.2; p = <0.01). CONCLUSIONS In this study, the pandemic had no clear effect on stroke subtypes and etiologies suggesting a limited impact of the pandemic on stroke triggers. However, the shift from atherosclerosis toward other causes warrants further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luciana Catanese
- Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Medicine (Neurology), Hamilton, Canada
| | - Janice Williams
- University Health Network, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Division of Neurology, Toronto, Canada
| | - Lisa Crellin
- University Health Network, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Division of Neurology, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Aristeidis H Katsanos
- Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Medicine (Neurology), Hamilton, Canada
| | - Ashkan Shoamanesh
- Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Medicine (Neurology), Hamilton, Canada
| | | | - Aleksandra Pikula
- University Health Network, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Division of Neurology, Toronto, Canada
| | - Joanna D Schaafsma
- University Health Network, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Division of Neurology, Toronto, Canada
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26
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Arabadzhyan A, Grašič K, Sivey P. COVID-19, deaths at home and end-of-life cancer care. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2024; 52:101338. [PMID: 38199155 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic there was a period of high excess deaths from cancer at home as opposed to in hospitals or in care homes. In this paper we aim to explore whether healthcare utilisation trajectories of cancer patients in the final months of life during the COVID-19 pandemic reveal any potential unmet healthcare need. We use English hospital records linked to data on all deaths in and out of hospital which identifies the cause and location of death. Our analysis shows that during the periods of peak COVID-19 caseload, patients dying of cancer experienced up to 42% less hospital treatment in their final month of life compared to historical controls. We find reductions in end-of-life hospital care for cancer patients dying in hospitals, care homes/hospices and at home, however the effect is amplified by the shift to more patients dying at home. Through the first year of the pandemic in England, we estimate the number of inpatient bed-days for end-of-life cancer patients in their final month reduced by approximately 282,282, or 25%. For outpatient appointments in the final month of life we find a reduction in face-to-face appointments and an increase in remote appointments which persists through the pandemic year and is not confined only to the periods of peak COVID-19 caseload. Our results suggest reductions in care provision during the COVID-19 pandemic may have led to unmet need, and future emergency reorganisations of health care systems must ensure consistent care provision for vulnerable groups such as cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katja Grašič
- Centre for Health Economics, University of York, UK
| | - Peter Sivey
- Centre for Health Economics, University of York, UK.
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Kendzerska T, Zhu DT, Pugliese M, Manuel D, Sadatsafavi M, Povitz M, Stukel TA, To T, Aaron SD, Mulpuru S, Chin M, Kendall CE, Thavorn K, Robillard R, Gershon AS. Trends in outpatient and inpatient visits for separate ambulatory-care-sensitive conditions during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: a province-based study. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1251020. [PMID: 38169852 PMCID: PMC10759216 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1251020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic led to global disruptions in non-urgent health services, affecting health outcomes of individuals with ambulatory-care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs). Methods We conducted a province-based study using Ontario health administrative data (Canada) to determine trends in outpatient visits and hospitalization rates (per 100,000 people) in the general adult population for seven ACSCs during the first pandemic year (March 2020-March 2021) compared to previous years (2016-2019), and how disruption in outpatient visits related to acute care use. ACSCs considered were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, angina, congestive heart failure (CHF), hypertension, diabetes, and epilepsy. We used time series auto-regressive integrated moving-average models to compare observed versus projected rates. Results Following an initial reduction (March-May 2020) in all types of visits, primary care outpatient visits (combined in-person and virtual) returned to pre-pandemic levels for asthma, angina, hypertension, and diabetes, remained below pre-pandemic levels for COPD, and rose above pre-pandemic levels for CHF (104.8 vs. 96.4, 95% CI: 89.4-104.0) and epilepsy (29.6 vs. 24.7, 95% CI: 22.1-27.5) by the end of the first pandemic year. Specialty visits returned to pre-pandemic levels for COPD, angina, CHF, hypertension, and diabetes, but remained above pre-pandemic levels for asthma (95.4 vs. 79.5, 95% CI: 70.7-89.5) and epilepsy (53.3 vs. 45.6, 95% CI: 41.2-50.5), by the end of the year. Virtual visit rates increased for all ACSCs. Among ACSCs, reductions in hospitalizations were most pronounced for COPD and asthma. CHF-related hospitalizations also decreased, albeit to a lesser extent. For angina, hypertension, diabetes, and epilepsy, hospitalization rates reduced initially, but returned to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year. Conclusion This study demonstrated variation in outpatient visit trends for different ACSCs in the first pandemic year. No outpatient visit trends resulted in increased hospitalizations for any ACSC; however, reductions in rates of asthma, COPD, and CHF hospitalizations persisted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetyana Kendzerska
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - David T. Zhu
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Michael Pugliese
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Douglas Manuel
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohsen Sadatsafavi
- Respiratory Evaluation Sciences Program, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Marcus Povitz
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Therese A. Stukel
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Teresa To
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Research Institute, The Hospital of Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shawn D. Aaron
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Sunita Mulpuru
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Melanie Chin
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Claire E. Kendall
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- The Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Kednapa Thavorn
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Andrea S. Gershon
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Research Institute, The Hospital of Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Alharbi AA, Muhayya M, Alkhudairy R, Alhussain AA, Muaddi MA, Alqassim AY, AlOmar RS, Alabdulaali MK. The pattern of emergency department length of stay in Saudi Arabia: an epidemiological Nationwide analyses of secondary surveillance data. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1265707. [PMID: 38162606 PMCID: PMC10757469 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1265707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Emergency department length of stay is a vital performance indicator for quality and efficiency in healthcare. This research aimed to evaluate the length of stay patterns in emergency departments across Saudi Arabia and to identify predictors for extended stays. The study used secondary data from the Ministry of Health's Ada'a program. Methods Using a retrospective approach, the study examined data from the Ada'a program on emergency department length of stay from September 2019 to December 2021. These data covered 1,572,296 emergency department visits from all regions of Saudi Arabia. Variables analyzed included quality indicators, year of visit, shift time, hospital type, and data entry method. The analysis was conducted using multiple linear regression. Results The study found that the median length of stay was 61 min, with significant differences among related predictors. All associations were significant with a value of p of less than 0.001. Compared to 2019, the length of stay was notably shorter by 28.5% in 2020 and by 44.2% in 2021. Evening and night shifts had a shorter length of stay by 5.9 and 7.8%, respectively, compared to the morning shift. Length of stay was lower in winter, summer, and fall compared to spring. Patients in levels I and II of the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scales had longer stays than those in level III, with those in level I reaching an increase of 20.5% in length of stay. Clustered hospitals had a longer length of stay compared to the non-clustered ones. Pediatric hospitals had a 15.3% shorter stay compared to general hospitals. Hospitals with data entered automatically had a 14.0% longer length of stay than those entered manually. Patients admitted to the hospital had a considerably longer length of stay, which was 54.7% longer compared to non-admitted patients. Deceased patients had a 20.5% longer length of stay than patients discharged alive. Conclusion Data at the national level identified several predictors of prolonged emergency department length of stay in Saudi Arabia, including shift time, season, severity level, and hospital type. These results underline the necessity of continuous monitoring and improvement efforts in emergency departments, in line with policy initiatives aiming to enhance patient outcomes in Saudi Arabia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah A. Alharbi
- Family and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | | | - Mohammed A. Muaddi
- Family and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad Y. Alqassim
- Family and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Reem S. AlOmar
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
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Ibadin S, Brindle M, Wasylak T, Robert J, Litvinchuk S, Sauro KM. Delivery and Prioritization of Surgical Care in Canada During COVID-19: An Environmental Scan. Int J Health Policy Manag 2023; 12:8007. [PMID: 38618771 PMCID: PMC10843432 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2023.8007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During COVID-19 healthcare systems had to make concessions to make room for the surge of COVID-19 patients requiring hospital and intensive care. Postponing surgeries was a common strategy; however, it is unclear how surgical care was delivered during this time of constraint. The objective of this study was to understand how surgical care was delivered and prioritized during the COVID-19 pandemic response. METHODS This was an environmental scan following the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health methodology. This study was conducted in Canada; a universal, publicly funded healthcare system. Evidence sources on policies pertaining to the provision of surgical care between January 2020 and October 2022 were obtained from ministries of health, health services agencies and publicly funded hospitals across all 10 provinces and three territories. We synthesized the evidence sources using framework analysis. RESULTS We identified 205 evidence sources that described six themes about the provision of surgical care during the COVID-19 pandemic: the cycle of postponement and resumption; guidelines for triaging and prioritizing surgical cases; Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC), and safety measures for surgical care during COVID-19, patient-centred care, and looking forward (recovery planning, leadership, and decision-making). CONCLUSION This study provides a comprehensive understanding of how surgical care was disrupted and innovated during COVID-19 which can inform future strategies for providing effective and efficient surgical care during times of healthcare constraint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seremi Ibadin
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Mary Brindle
- Department of Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Surgery Strategic Clinical Networks, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Tracy Wasylak
- Surgery Strategic Clinical Networks, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jill Robert
- Surgery and Bone & Joint Health Strategic Clinical Networks, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Stacey Litvinchuk
- Surgery Strategic Clinical Networks, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Khara M. Sauro
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Oncology and Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Yin ZJ, Xiao H, McDonald S, Brusic V, Qiu TY. Dynamically adjustable SVEIR(MH) model of multiwave epidemics: Estimating the effects of public health measures against COVID-19. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e29301. [PMID: 38087460 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic was characterized by multiple subsequent, overlapping outbreaks, as well as extremely rapid changes in viral genomes. The information about local epidemics spread and the epidemic control measures was shared on a daily basis (number of cases and deaths) via centralized repositories. The vaccines were developed within the first year of the pandemic. New modes of monitoring and sharing of epidemic data were implemented using Internet resources. We modified the basic SEIR compartmental model to include public health measures, multiwave scenarios, and the variation of viral infectivity and transmissibility reflected by the basic reproduction number R0 of emerging viral variants. SVEIR(MH) model considers the capacity of the medical system, lockdowns, vaccination, and changes in viral reproduction rate on the epidemic spread. The developed model uses daily infection reports for assessing the epidemic dynamics, and daily changes of mobility data from mobile phone networks to assess the lockdown effectiveness. This model was deployed to six European regions Baden-Württemberg (Germany), Belgium, Czechia, Lombardy (Italy), Sweden, and Switzerland for the first 2 years of the pandemic. The correlation coefficients between observed and reported infection data showed good concordance for both years of the pandemic (ρ = 0.84-0.94 for the raw data and ρ = 0.91-0.98 for smoothed 7-day averages). The results show stability across the regions and the different epidemic waves. Optimal control of epidemic waves can be achieved by dynamically adjusting epidemic control measures in real-time. SVEIR(MH) model can simulate different scenarios and inform adjustments to the public health policies to achieve the target outcomes. Because this model is highly representative of actual epidemic situations, it can be used to assess both the public health and socioeconomic effects of the public health measures within the first 7 days of the outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuo-Jing Yin
- Institute of Clinical Science, Zhongshan Hospital; Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity; Intelligent Medicine Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Han Xiao
- Department of Computer Science, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Stuart McDonald
- Smart Medicine Laboratory, School of Economics, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, China
| | - Vladimir Brusic
- Smart Medicine Laboratory, School of Economics, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, China
| | - Tian-Yi Qiu
- Institute of Clinical Science, Zhongshan Hospital; Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity; Intelligent Medicine Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Kemp KA, Fairie P, Steele B, Santana MJ. Variation in parental experiences with their child's hospitalization over the COVID-19 pandemic. J Patient Rep Outcomes 2023; 7:114. [PMID: 37947920 PMCID: PMC10638244 DOI: 10.1186/s41687-023-00626-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hospitals and healthcare workers have been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The potential impacts upon the patient experience have been less documented, particularly in the pediatric setting. Our aim was to examine how parental experiences with their child's hospitalization varied during the COVID-19 pandemic at two children's hospitals in Alberta, Canada. METHODS A random sample of parents were surveyed within six weeks of their child's discharge from Alberta's two children's hospitals. Surveys were administered using the Alberta Pediatric Inpatient Experiences Survey (APIES) - a validated instrument used to assess parental experiences during their child's hospitalization. Surveys were linked with administrative inpatient records. Three cohorts were created based on hospital discharge date: Pre-COVID (Pre: April 2019 to March 2020), COVID year one (C1: April 2020 to March 2021), and COVID year two (C2: April 2021 to March 2022). We examined 48 survey questions, including four overall rating scales. Survey responses were Likert scales. These were transformed to normalized scores from 0 (worst) to 100 (best). Differences between cohorts were assessed using ANOVA and the post-hoc Tukey test. RESULTS A total of 3,611 surveys (1,314 Pre; 997 C1; 1,300 C2) were completed over the three-year period. Five questions showed differences between the Pre and C1 periods, six showed differences between Pre and C2, and 13 showed differences between C1 and C2. Among these questions, scores pre-COVID were lower than COVID year one, while results in COVID year two were lower than pre-COVID and COVID year one. Thirty-one survey questions showed no statistical differences between the three time periods. For the overall ratings, only hospital rating showed a difference in any of the periods (91.4 C1 vs. 90.2 C2). Overall ratings of doctors, nurses, and recommendation of the hospital to others showed no differences. CONCLUSION This study showed that the experiences of parents during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic were mildly better or comparable to historical results. This changed over the following year, where lower scores were reported on 13 questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle A Kemp
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, TRW Building, 5th Floor 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada.
- Patient Engagement Platform, Alberta Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR), Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | - Paul Fairie
- Patient Engagement Platform, Alberta Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR), Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Brian Steele
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, TRW Building, 5th Floor 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Maria J Santana
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, TRW Building, 5th Floor 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Patient Engagement Platform, Alberta Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR), Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Dera AU, Brockmann T, Rusch W, Weiland AL, Reisinger EC, Fuchsluger TA, Brockmann C. PREVALENCE OF SARS-CoV-2 RNA AND ANTIBODY DETECTION, AND VACCINATION STATUS IN PATIENTS WITH OCULAR VASCULAR OCCLUSION. Retina 2023; 43:1951-1959. [PMID: 37535933 DOI: 10.1097/iae.0000000000003907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To analyze the annual prevalence of ocular vascular occlusion in relation to COVID-19 infection and vaccination status in a prospective study. METHODS All patients were examined for an active severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection by RNA detection and for a previous infection by virus-specific antibody detection, and their vaccination status was documented. Data from pandemic year 2020 and previous years, before COVID-19 (2019, 2018, 2017), were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS In 2021, a total of 103 patients with the first diagnosis of ocular vascular occlusion were treated. Most frequent subdiagnoses were central retinal vein occlusion (20.4%), nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (18.4%), central retinal artery occlusion (13.6%), and branch retinal artery occlusion (12.6%). Thereof, only three patients (2.9%) presented with virus-specific severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies, and none was PCR positive. Patients with preceded severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccination (59.2%) presented with comparable characteristics as unvaccinated patients with vascular occlusion regarding age, gender distribution, systemic risk factors, duration of symptoms, visual acuity, and the present subdiagnoses ( P > 0.05). The total number of cases in 2021 (103 cases) was comparable with the pandemic year 2020, at which no vaccination was available (114 cases), and to earlier years 2017, 2018, and 2019 without COVID-19 pandemic (100, 120, and 119 cases). Furthermore, we did not reveal any differences between pandemic and reference years regarding patients' characteristics ( P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Our study did not reveal an increased annual prevalence of ocular vascular occlusions during COVID-19 pandemic years 2020 and 2021. Patients with previous COVID-19 vaccination did not present differences regarding the risk profile nor symptoms, compared with unvaccinated individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrianna U Dera
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany; and
| | - Tobias Brockmann
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany; and
| | - Wladislaw Rusch
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany; and
| | - Ada L Weiland
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany; and
| | - Emil C Reisinger
- Department of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Thomas A Fuchsluger
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany; and
| | - Claudia Brockmann
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany; and
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Guo LL, Guo LY, Li J, Gu YW, Wang JY, Cui Y, Qian Q, Chen T, Jiang R, Zheng S. Characteristics and Admission Preferences of Pediatric Emergency Patients and Their Waiting Time Prediction Using Electronic Medical Record Data: Retrospective Comparative Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e49605. [PMID: 37910168 PMCID: PMC10652198 DOI: 10.2196/49605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The growing number of patients visiting pediatric emergency departments could have a detrimental impact on the care provided to children who are triaged as needing urgent attention. Therefore, it has become essential to continuously monitor and analyze the admissions and waiting times of pediatric emergency patients. Despite the significant challenge posed by the shortage of pediatric medical resources in China's health care system, there have been few large-scale studies conducted to analyze visits to the pediatric emergency room. OBJECTIVE This study seeks to examine the characteristics and admission patterns of patients in the pediatric emergency department using electronic medical record (EMR) data. Additionally, it aims to develop and assess machine learning models for predicting waiting times for pediatric emergency department visits. METHODS This retrospective analysis involved patients who were admitted to the emergency department of Children's Hospital Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021. Clinical data from these admissions were extracted from the electronic medical records, encompassing various variables of interest such as patient demographics, clinical diagnoses, and time stamps of clinical visits. These indicators were collected and compared. Furthermore, we developed and evaluated several computational models for predicting waiting times. RESULTS In total, 183,024 eligible admissions from 127,368 pediatric patients were included. During the 12-month study period, pediatric emergency department visits were most frequent among children aged less than 5 years, accounting for 71.26% (130,423/183,024) of the total visits. Additionally, there was a higher proportion of male patients (104,147/183,024, 56.90%) compared with female patients (78,877/183,024, 43.10%). Fever (50,715/183,024, 27.71%), respiratory infection (43,269/183,024, 23.64%), celialgia (9560/183,024, 5.22%), and emesis (6898/183,024, 3.77%) were the leading causes of pediatric emergency room visits. The average daily number of admissions was 501.44, and 18.76% (34,339/183,204) of pediatric emergency department visits resulted in discharge without a prescription or further tests. The median waiting time from registration to seeing a doctor was 27.53 minutes. Prolonged waiting times were observed from April to July, coinciding with an increased number of arrivals, primarily for respiratory diseases. In terms of waiting time prediction, machine learning models, specifically random forest, LightGBM, and XGBoost, outperformed regression methods. On average, these models reduced the root-mean-square error by approximately 17.73% (8.951/50.481) and increased the R2 by approximately 29.33% (0.154/0.525). The SHAP method analysis highlighted that the features "wait.green" and "department" had the most significant influence on waiting times. CONCLUSIONS This study offers a contemporary exploration of pediatric emergency room visits, revealing significant variations in admission rates across different periods and uncovering certain admission patterns. The machine learning models, particularly ensemble methods, delivered more dependable waiting time predictions. Patient volume awaiting consultation or treatment and the triage status emerged as crucial factors contributing to prolonged waiting times. Therefore, strategies such as patient diversion to alleviate congestion in emergency departments and optimizing triage systems to reduce average waiting times remain effective approaches to enhance the quality of pediatric health care services in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Lin Guo
- Children's Hospital Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Ying Guo
- Children's Hospital Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Jiao Li
- Institute of Medical Information, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yao Wen Gu
- Institute of Medical Information, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Yang Wang
- Institute of Medical Information, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Cui
- Children's Hospital Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Qian
- Institute of Medical Information, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Chen
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Jiang
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Si Zheng
- Institute of Medical Information, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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Sakuma F, Yamamiya A, Abe Y, Nagashima K, Minaguchi T, Kashima K, Kunogi Y, Fukushi K, Inaba Y, Sugaya T, Tominaga K, Goda K, Irisawa A. Investigating COVID-19 Pandemic Effects on Acute Pancreatitis Development-From the Perspective of Alcohol Sales (Consumption) in a Japanese Regional Hospital. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2769. [PMID: 37893843 PMCID: PMC10606278 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11202769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
[Aim and Background] People's lifestyles changed considerably due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The number of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) can be expected to decrease as alcohol consumption decreases. This study was conducted to assess COVID-19 pandemic effects on AP patients in a Japanese regional hospital. [Methods] Based on the first and second states of emergency declarations in Tochigi Prefecture, the survey periods were set as follows: period A, 16 April-14 May; period B, 15 May-13 January; period C, 14 January-7 February; and period D, 8 February-15 April. Using data acquired in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, we retrospectively reviewed the number of patients admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of AP, and their clinical characteristics. [Results] According to a National Tax Agency survey, the average alcohol sales per adult in Tochigi Prefecture were 71.3 L in 2017 before the pandemic, and 64.0 L in 2021 under the pandemic. The number of AP patients in 2020 was 38% lower than in 2017. Comparing 2017 with 2020, the number of alcoholic AP patients was lower in 2020 (p = 0.007). [Conclusions] The findings suggest that COVID-19-pandemic-related lifestyle changes contributed to the decrease in AP patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Akira Yamamiya
- Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, 880 Kitakobayashi Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan; (F.S.); (Y.A.); (K.N.); (T.M.); (K.K.); (Y.K.); (K.F.); (Y.I.); (T.S.); (K.T.); (K.G.); (A.I.)
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Clark CA, Turner K, Kuntz J, Perri A, Deegan A, Marriott B, Graham S, Rahman A, McMorris CA. COVID-19 and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: Examining the Impact of the First 2 Years of the Pandemic on the Demand for Pediatric Inpatient Care. J Autism Dev Disord 2023:10.1007/s10803-023-06136-x. [PMID: 37794177 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06136-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has strained the resources of the world's healthcare systems. Most individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) experience significant mental health issues and face substantial barriers in accessing appropriate supports which have been exacerbated during the pandemic. It is unknown the extent to which COVID-19 impacted the demand for and effectiveness of inpatient care for those with NDDs. The impact of COVID-19 on the number of admissions of youth with NDDs to pediatric inpatient psychiatry units, as well as their functioning and length of stay during the first two years of the pandemic was analyzed using Bayesian structural time series models. Admission data of youth with NDDs from four pediatric inpatient units in Alberta, Canada (n = 2144) was examined. Inpatient admissions of youth with NDDs significantly increased following the onset of the pandemic. Compared to the period prior to the pandemic, patients with NDDs had significantly worse overall functioning and received fewer days of treatment. These findings highlight the need for increased resources to support the mental health needs of this vulnerable population and are consistent with other studies in the general population examining the utilization of inpatient psychiatric units during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris A Clark
- Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Owerko Centre, ACHRI, Third Floor-CDC Building, #355, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N, Canada.
| | - Kailyn Turner
- Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Owerko Centre, ACHRI, Third Floor-CDC Building, #355, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N, Canada
- Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jennifer Kuntz
- Child and Adolescent Addition, Mental Health and Psychiatry Program, Alberta Health Services (AHS), Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Andrea Perri
- Child and Adolescent Addition, Mental Health and Psychiatry Program, Alberta Health Services (AHS), Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Avril Deegan
- Child and Adolescent Addition, Mental Health and Psychiatry Program, Alberta Health Services (AHS), Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Brian Marriott
- Child and Adolescent Addition, Mental Health and Psychiatry Program, Alberta Health Services (AHS), Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Susan Graham
- Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Abdul Rahman
- Child and Adolescent Addition, Mental Health and Psychiatry Program, Alberta Health Services (AHS), Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Carly A McMorris
- Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Owerko Centre, ACHRI, Third Floor-CDC Building, #355, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N, Canada
- Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Senthinathan A, Tadrous M, Hussain S, Craven BC, Jaglal SB, Moineddin R, Shepherd J, Cadel L, Noonan VK, McKay S, Tu K, Guilcher SJT. Examining the impact of COVID-19 on health care utilization among persons with chronic spinal cord injury/dysfunction: a population study. Spinal Cord 2023; 61:562-569. [PMID: 37660208 DOI: 10.1038/s41393-023-00930-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN A retrospective longitudinal cohort time-series analysis study. OBJECTIVES To examine healthcare utilization and delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic in individuals with spinal cord injury/dysfunction (SCI/D). SETTING Health administrative database in Ontario, Canada. METHODS In 5754 individuals with SCI/D diagnosed from 2004-2014 and living in the community, healthcare utilization (physician visits, primary care visits, specialist visits, urologist visits, physiatrist visits, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospital admissions) and delivery (total, in-person, virtual) were determined at the (1) pre-pandemic period (March 2015 to February 2020), (2) initial pandemic onset period (March 2020-May 2020), and (3) pandemic period (June 2020 to March 2022). Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modelling was conducted to determine the impact of the pandemic on monthly healthcare utilization and delivery. RESULTS The initial pandemic onset period had a significant reduction of 24% in physicians (p = 0.0081), 35% in specialists (p < 0.0001), and 30% in urologist (p < 0.0001) visits, compared to pre-pandemic levels, with a partial recovery as the pandemic progressed. In April 2020, compared to the pre-pandemic period, a significant increase (p < 0.0001) in virtual visits for physicians, specialists, urologists, and primary care was found. The initial pandemic onset period had a 58% decrease in hospital admissions (p = 0.0011), compared to the pre-pandemic period. CONCLUSION Healthcare utilization dropped in the initial pandemic onset period as physicians, specialists, and urologists, as well as hospitalization visits decreased significantly (p < 0.05) versus pre-pandemic levels. Virtual visit increases compensated for in-person visit decreases as the pandemic progressed to allow for total visits to partially recover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arrani Senthinathan
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Mina Tadrous
- Women's College Hospital Institute for Health Systems Solutions and Virtual Care, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Swaleh Hussain
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- ICES, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - B Catharine Craven
- KITE (Knowledge Innovation Talent Everywhere), Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Program, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Susan B Jaglal
- ICES, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rehabilitation Science Institute and Department of Physical Therapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rahim Moineddin
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- ICES, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - John Shepherd
- KITE (Knowledge Innovation Talent Everywhere), Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rehabilitation Science Institute and Department of Physical Therapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lauren Cadel
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Vanessa K Noonan
- Praxis Spinal Cord Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Karen Tu
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- North York General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto Western Family Health Team, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sara J T Guilcher
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- ICES, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Johnson E, Ghosh M, Daniels VJ, Wild TC, Campbell-Scherer D, Mellinger J, Winder GS, Fernandez AC, Kirkwood J, Tandon P. The development and evaluation of a provider-focused educational intervention about alcohol use disorder in patients with cirrhosis. CANADIAN LIVER JOURNAL 2023; 6:295-304. [PMID: 38020191 PMCID: PMC10652990 DOI: 10.3138/canlivj-2022-0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a leading cause of cirrhosis. Insufficient clinician knowledge and comfort managing AUD impacts access to treatment. Using Kern's Framework for Curriculum Development, we aimed to (i) develop and evaluate the effect of an "AUD in cirrhosis" educational intervention on clinicians' knowledge, attitudes, comfort, preparedness, and intention (practice habits) to integrate AUD management into their practice, and (ii) assess clinicians' motivation using Self Determination Theory. Methods Kern's approach was used for curriculum development. Pilot session feedback informed a three-part flipped-classroom series conducted by interdisciplinary clinicians in hepatology, psychiatry, primary care, and addiction psychology. Participants watched a video followed by a live session focused on (a) withdrawal, (b) screening and brief intervention, and (c) prescribing pharmacotherapy. Questionnaires assessing knowledge and practice habits were adapted from the literature. Attitudes were evaluated using the Short Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire (SAAPPQ). Self Determination Theory informed motivation questions. Results Paired sample t-tests on pre-post questionnaires (n = 229 clinicians; 95 completed questionnaires) revealed significant improvements in preparedness and comfort screening, providing a brief intervention, prescribing pharmacotherapy, and SAAPPQ domains. No significant changes were observed in the intention to prescribe pharmacotherapy. Effect size analysis showed medium to large effects across most topic areas. Conclusions The developed sessions improved knowledge, attitudes, and practice habits of clinicians caring for this patient population. Given the rise in AUD and significant consequences in cirrhosis, this data offers promise that interactive education may improve practice habits of clinicians interfacing with this patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Johnson
- Division of Gastroenterology (Liver Unit), Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Monty Ghosh
- Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Vijay John Daniels
- Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - T Cameron Wild
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Denise Campbell-Scherer
- Physician Learning Program, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jessica Mellinger
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbour, Michigan, United States
| | - Gerald S Winder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Anne C Fernandez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Jessica Kirkwood
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Puneeta Tandon
- Division of Gastroenterology (Liver Unit), Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Physician Learning Program, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Lee T, Walley KR, Boyd JH, Cawcutt KA, Kalil A, Russell JA. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on non-COVID-19 community-acquired pneumonia: a retrospective cohort study. BMJ Open Respir Res 2023; 10:e001810. [PMID: 37865420 PMCID: PMC10603472 DOI: 10.1136/bmjresp-2023-001810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic could impact frequency and mortality of non-COVID-19 community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Changes in frequency, patient mix, treatment and organ dysfunction could cascade together to increase mortality of CAP during compared with pre-COVID-19. METHODS Hospitalised CAP patients at St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, Canada pre-COVID-19 (fiscal years 2018/2019 and 2019/2020) and during COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021 and 2021/2022) were evaluated. RESULTS In 5219 CAP patients, there was no significant difference prepandemic versus during pandemic in mean age, gender and Charlson Comorbidity Score. However, hospital mortality increased significantly from pre-COVID-19 versus during COVID-19 (7.5% vs 12.1% respectively, (95% CI for difference: 3.0% to 6.3%), p<0.001), a 61% relative increase, coincident with increases in ICU admission (18.3% vs 25.5%, respectively, (95% CI for difference: 5.0% to 9.5%) p<0.001, 39% relative increase) and ventilation (12.7% vs 17.5%, respectively, (95% CI for difference: 2.8% to 6.7%) p<0.001, 38% relative increase). Results remained the same after regression adjustment for age, sex and Charlson score. CAP hospital admissions decreased 27% from pre-COVID-19 (n=1349 and 1433, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020, respectively) versus the first COVID-19 pandemic year (n=1047 in 2020/2021) then rose to prepandemic number (n=1390 in 2021/2022). During prepandemic years, CAP admissions peaked in winter; during COVID-19, the CAP admissions peaked every 6 months. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This is the first study to show that the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increases in hospital mortality, ICU admission and invasive mechanical ventilation rates of non-COVID-19 CAP and a transient, 1-year frequency decrease. There was no winter seasonality of CAP during the COVID-19 pandemic era. These novel findings could be used to guide future pandemic planning for CAP hospital care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry Lee
- Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Keith R Walley
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - John H Boyd
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kelly A Cawcutt
- Department of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Andre Kalil
- Department of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - James A Russell
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Yao J, Irvine MA, Klaver B, Zandy M, Dheri AK, Grafstein E, Smolina K. Changes in emergency department use in British Columbia, Canada, during the first 3 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. CMAJ 2023; 195:E1141-E1150. [PMID: 37669788 PMCID: PMC10480001 DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.221516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown reductions in the volume of emergency department visits early in the COVID-19 pandemic, but few have evaluated the pandemic's impact over time or stratified analyses by reason for visits. We aimed to quantify such changes in British Columbia, Canada, cumulatively and during prominent nadirs, and by reason for visit, age and acuity. METHODS We included data from the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System for 30 emergency departments across BC from January 2016 to December 2022. We fitted generalized additive models, accounting for seasonal and annual trends, to the monthly number of visits to estimate changes throughout the pandemic, compared with the expected number of visits in the absence of the pandemic. We determined absolute and relative differences at various times during the study period, and cumulatively since the start of the pandemic until the overall volume of emergency department visits returned to expected levels. RESULTS Over the first 16 months of the pandemic, the volume of emergency department visits was reduced by about 322 300 visits, or 15% (95% confidence interval 12%-18%), compared with the expected volume. A sharp drop in pediatric visits accounted for nearly one-third of the reduction. The timing of the return to baseline volume of visits differed by subgroup. The largest and most sustained decreases were in respiratory-related emergency department visits, visits among children, visits among oldest adults and non-urgent visits. Later in the pandemic, we observed increased volumes of highest-urgency visits, visits among children and visits related to ear, nose and throat. INTERPRETATION We have extended evidence that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated mitigation strategies on emergency department visits in Canada was substantial. Both our findings and methods are relevant in public health surveillance and capacity planning for emergency departments in pandemic and nonpandemic times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayun Yao
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (Yao, Irvine, Klaver, Zandy, Dheri, Smolina), Vancouver, BC; Faculty of Health Sciences (Irvine), Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC; School of Population and Public Health (Yao, Smolina) and Department of Emergency Medicine (Grafstein), University of British Columbia; Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (Grafstein), Vancouver, BC
| | - Michael A Irvine
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (Yao, Irvine, Klaver, Zandy, Dheri, Smolina), Vancouver, BC; Faculty of Health Sciences (Irvine), Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC; School of Population and Public Health (Yao, Smolina) and Department of Emergency Medicine (Grafstein), University of British Columbia; Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (Grafstein), Vancouver, BC
| | - Braeden Klaver
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (Yao, Irvine, Klaver, Zandy, Dheri, Smolina), Vancouver, BC; Faculty of Health Sciences (Irvine), Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC; School of Population and Public Health (Yao, Smolina) and Department of Emergency Medicine (Grafstein), University of British Columbia; Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (Grafstein), Vancouver, BC
| | - Moe Zandy
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (Yao, Irvine, Klaver, Zandy, Dheri, Smolina), Vancouver, BC; Faculty of Health Sciences (Irvine), Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC; School of Population and Public Health (Yao, Smolina) and Department of Emergency Medicine (Grafstein), University of British Columbia; Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (Grafstein), Vancouver, BC
| | - Aman K Dheri
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (Yao, Irvine, Klaver, Zandy, Dheri, Smolina), Vancouver, BC; Faculty of Health Sciences (Irvine), Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC; School of Population and Public Health (Yao, Smolina) and Department of Emergency Medicine (Grafstein), University of British Columbia; Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (Grafstein), Vancouver, BC
| | - Eric Grafstein
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (Yao, Irvine, Klaver, Zandy, Dheri, Smolina), Vancouver, BC; Faculty of Health Sciences (Irvine), Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC; School of Population and Public Health (Yao, Smolina) and Department of Emergency Medicine (Grafstein), University of British Columbia; Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (Grafstein), Vancouver, BC
| | - Kate Smolina
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (Yao, Irvine, Klaver, Zandy, Dheri, Smolina), Vancouver, BC; Faculty of Health Sciences (Irvine), Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC; School of Population and Public Health (Yao, Smolina) and Department of Emergency Medicine (Grafstein), University of British Columbia; Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (Grafstein), Vancouver, BC
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Chang JH, Huang EPC, Chen CH, Fan CY, Deng YR, Sung CW. Differences in the characteristics and patterns of adult emergency department return visits before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. J Formos Med Assoc 2023; 122:843-852. [PMID: 36990861 PMCID: PMC10015088 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Data about changes in the characteristics of ED return visits before and after the COVID-19 outbreak are limited. This study aimed to report the differences on utility in ED return visits after the COVID-19 outbreak. METHODS This retrospective cohort study was conducted from 2019 to 2020. Adult patients with ED return visits were included in the analysis. Variables including demographic characteristics, pre-comorbidities, triage levels, vital signs, chief complaints, management, and diagnosis were recorded and confirmed via a manual assessment. RESULTS The proportion of patients with ED visits decreased by 23%. Hence, that of patients with ED return visits also reduced from 2580 to 2020 patients (22%) after the COVID-19 outbreak. The average age (60-57.8 years) of patients with return visits was significantly younger, and the proportion of female patients decreased remarkably. Further, the proportion of patients with chronic pre-existing diseases at the return visit significantly differed after the COVID-19 outbreak. The proportion of patients with chief complaints including dizziness, dyspnea, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, and chills during the return visits significantly differed before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. In the multivariable logistic regression model, age, high triage level were significantly associated with unfavorable outcome return visit. CONCLUSION The use of services in the ED has changed since the COVID-19 outbreak. Hence, the proportion of patients with unplanned return visits within 72 h decreased. After the COVID-19 outbreak, people are now cautious whether they should return to the ED, as in the pre-pandemic situation, or just treat conservatively at home.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-How Chang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsinchu City, Taiwan
| | - Edward Pei-Chuan Huang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsinchu City, Taiwan; Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Hsin Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsinchu City, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yi Fan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsinchu City, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Rou Deng
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsinchu City, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Wei Sung
- Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsinchu City, Taiwan.
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Gasch-Illescas A, Andrade-Arroyo M, Vallejo-Vaz AJ, Praena-Fernández JM, Guerrero JA, Calderón EJ, Pollán M, Medrano FJ. The Impact of the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Non-COVID Hospital Care in a Tertiary Hospital in Spain. J Clin Med 2023; 12:5507. [PMID: 37685572 PMCID: PMC10487824 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12175507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2020, Spain ranked fourth among European countries with the highest excess mortality due to COVID-19 disease. This study evaluates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on non-COVID patients in a tertiary hospital during the second pandemic wave in Spain (22 June 2020-6 December 2020). Data from Virgen del Rocío University Hospital in Seville during that timeframe were compared with the data from the same period in the preceding two years (2018-2019). Between-group comparisons were performed using the Chi-squared test, Student's t-test, or Mann-Whitney U tests, as appropriate. A total of 63,137 non-COVID patients were included in this study. During the second pandemic wave, a 19% decrease was observed in the annual number of non-COVID admissions overall (18,260 vs. 22,439, p < 0.001), but a 10% increase in the proportion of emergency admissions (60.6% vs. 54.93%, p < 0.001), a higher severity level of patients (1.79 vs. 1.72, p < 0.001), a longer in-hospital stay (7.02 vs. 6.74 days, p < 0.001), a 26% increase in non-COVID mortality (4.9% vs. 3.9%, p < 0.001), and a 50% increase in global mortality (5.9 vs. 3.9, p < 0.001) were also observed. In terms of both medical and surgical diagnoses, a significant reduction in the number of admissions and an increase in in-hospital mortality were observed. These results demonstrate the significant impact of the pandemic on hospital care, similar to what was previously observed during the initial wave in the same hospital. Our findings emphasize the need to include non-COVID patients when assessing the broad impact of the pandemic on healthcare, beyond its direct effects on COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Gasch-Illescas
- Service de Santé Étudiants, Campus Arras, University of Artois, 62000 Arras, France;
- Escuela Internacional de Doctorado, University of Seville, 41004 Seville, Spain
- Infectious and Immune System Diseases, Epidemiology and Public Health, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBIS, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, CSIC, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - María Andrade-Arroyo
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Sevilla, Spain;
| | - Antonio J. Vallejo-Vaz
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain;
- Clinical Epidemiology and Vascular Risk, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBIS, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain;
| | | | - José A. Guerrero
- Servicio de Documentación Clínica, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Seville, Spain;
| | - Enrique J. Calderón
- Clinical Epidemiology and Vascular Risk, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBIS, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain;
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBIS, HUVR, Junta de Andalucía, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Marina Pollán
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- National Center for Epidemiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III ES, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco J. Medrano
- Clinical Epidemiology and Vascular Risk, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBIS, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain;
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBIS, HUVR, Junta de Andalucía, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
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Singhal S, Dhar B, Ayoub N, Quiñonez C. Impact of COVID-19 on hospital visits for non-traumatic dental conditions in Ontario, Canada. BMC Res Notes 2023; 16:160. [PMID: 37533079 PMCID: PMC10399067 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-023-06380-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE As general health care is publicly funded in Canada and oral health care is not, many people seek care from hospitals for their dental problems. This study assessed if the unprecedented times of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) affected the hospital visits for dental emergencies, making disadvantaged populations further vulnerable for attendance of their dental problems. METHODS Data from IntelliHealth Ontario for emergency department (ED) visits, day surgery visits, and hospitalizations associated with non-traumatic dental conditions (NTDCs) were retrieved for years 2016 to 2020 to assess trends before COVID-19 and changes, if any, for the year 2020. Trends by month, for the years 2019 and 2020, to make straight comparisons and understand the effects of lockdown in Ontario, was also analyzed. RESULTS In the year 2020, there was a reduction of 40% in day surgeries, 21% in ED visits and 8% in hospitalizations compared to 2019. Stratified by month, largest reductions were observed in April 2020: 96% in day surgeries; 50% in ED visits; and 38% reductions in hospitalizations when compared to the same month of 2019. In May 2020, day surgeries and ED visits though remained reduced, hospitalization rates increased by 31%. CONCLUSION Hospital EDs are inefficient avenues for handling dental emergencies. Nevertheless, they do remain a care setting that is sought by many for dental problems, and if the need for hospitalization and day surgery is there, this care setting is an important avenue for dentally related medical care. Perhaps unsurprisingly, COVID-19 has lessened the opportunity and capacity for such care. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Administrators and policy makers can utilize this information to strategize on augmenting community infrastructure for building more effective, and cost-efficient avenues of care for timely management of dental problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonica Singhal
- Health Promotion, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Department, Public Health Ontario, 480 University Avenue, Suite 300, Toronto, ON, M5G 1V2, Canada.
- Discipline of Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Badal Dhar
- Data and Information Management Services, Public Health Ontario, 480 University Avenue, Suite 300, Toronto, ON, M5G 1V2, Canada
| | - Nardin Ayoub
- Department of Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Carlos Quiñonez
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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Wu Q, Chan SCL, Lee TTL, So KWL, Tsui OWK, Kuo YH, Rainer TH, Wai AKC. Evaluating the Patient Boarding during Omicron Surge in Hong Kong: Time Series Analysis. J Med Syst 2023; 47:76. [PMID: 37462766 DOI: 10.1007/s10916-023-01964-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
The fifth wave of COVID-19 outbreaks in Hong Kong (HK) from January to March 2022 has the highest confirmed cases and deaths compared with previous waves. Severe hospital boarding (to inpatient wards) was noted in various Emergency Departments (EDs). Our objective is to identify factors associated with hospital boarding during Omicron surge in HK. We conducted a retrospective cohort study including all ED visits and inpatient (IP) ward admissions from January 1st to March 31st, 2022. Vector Autoregression model evaluated the effects of a single variable on the targeted hospital boarding variables. Admissions from elderly homes with 6 lag days held the highest positive value of statistical significance (t-stat = 2.827, P < .05) caused prolonged admission waiting time, while medical patients with 4 lag days had the highest statistical significance (t-stat = 2.530, P < .05) caused an increased number of boarding patients. Within one week after impulses, medical occupancy's influence on the waiting time varied from 0.289 on the 1st day to -0.315 on the 7th day. While occupancy of medical wards always positively affected blocked number of patients, and its response was maximized at 0.309 on the 2nd day. Number of confirmed COVID-19 cases was not the sole significant contributor, while occupancy of medical wards was still a critical factor associated with patient boarding. Increasing ward capacity and controlling occupancy were suggested during the outbreak. Moreover, streamlining elderly patients in ED could be an approach to relieve pressure on the healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihao Wu
- Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Teddy Tai-Loy Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kevin Wang-Leong So
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Omar Wai-Kiu Tsui
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yong-Hong Kuo
- Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- HKU Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Timothy Hudson Rainer
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Accident & Emergency Department, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | - Abraham Ka-Chung Wai
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
- Accident & Emergency Department, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
- Accident & Emergency Department, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
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Rostami A, Kamjoo E, Bamney A, Gupta N, Savolainen PT, Zockaie A. Investigating changes in travel behavior over time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH. PART F, TRAFFIC PSYCHOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR 2023; 96:133-154. [PMID: 37342650 PMCID: PMC10247149 DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2023.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected travel behavior, including the frequency and mode of travel, with the magnitude and nature of these effects varying over time. This study investigates the nature of these relationships by examining changes in various measures of travel behavior, including weekly driving hours, as well as the frequency of telecommuting, use of ride-sharing services, travel for medical purposes, and use of food delivery services. Self-reported travel data from a representative statewide survey of Michigan residents were used to assess changes in these metrics during the early stages of the pandemic, as well as one year thereafter. Random effects linear regression and ordered logit regression models were estimated and the findings show that various changes in behavior had long-lasting effects, while other behaviors generally reverted back toward pre-pandemic levels. In addition, these changes were found to vary across individuals. For example, significant differences were observed based on socio-demographic characteristics, between urban and rural areas, and amongst individuals with differing views on COVID-19 and related government interventions. In general, the pandemic tended to have less pronounced and sustained effects among younger adults as compared to older age groups. Further, those individuals who were opposed to mandatory COVID-19 vaccines were less likely to change their travel behavior, during both the early and latter stages of the pandemic. Changes were observed consistently across most of the travel metrics of interest. Among these, overall driving hours, travel for medical purposes, and ride-sharing were still lower during the latter stages of the pandemic, while telecommuting and the use of food delivery services reverted nearer to pre-pandemic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Rostami
- Michigan State University, 428 S. Shaw Ln., East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Ehsan Kamjoo
- Michigan State University, 428 S. Shaw Ln., East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Anshu Bamney
- Michigan State University, 428 S. Shaw Ln., East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Nischal Gupta
- Michigan State University, 428 S. Shaw Ln., East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | | | - Ali Zockaie
- Michigan State University, 428 S. Shaw Ln., East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Waye A, Thanh NX, Buckland T, Scott AN, Owen C, Stewart DA. Return on investment of the lymphoma diagnostic pathway implementation in Alberta, Canada. Leuk Lymphoma 2023; 64:1253-1261. [PMID: 37173288 DOI: 10.1080/10428194.2023.2209232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The Lymphoma Diagnostic Pathway (LDP) was developed based upon clinical best practice guidelines and implemented in large urban centers where lymphoma treatment is provided in Alberta, Canada. A return-on-investment analysis of the implementation of this care pathway was conducted to inform future sustainability and expansion. A cohort design with propensity score matching and difference-in-difference estimation methods were used comparing both cost and return (reduced health service utilization) between patients who were diagnosed within the LDP and those who were diagnosed outside the LDP. LDP resulted in $1800 avoided HSU costs per patient. The LDP has been found to be cost-saving with an ROI of 5.3 (ranging from 3.95-8.97) - for every $1 invested, LDP resulted in a $5.30 return for the health system due to capacity improvements in ED, inpatient, outpatient, and a reduction in GP service utilization. Further study of implementation including patient/provider satisfaction and uptake is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Waye
- Innovation Evidence, and Impact, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nguyen X Thanh
- Strategic Clinical Networks, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Tim Buckland
- Cancer Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Allison N Scott
- Cancer Care Alberta, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Carolyn Owen
- Departments of Medicine and Oncology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Douglas A Stewart
- Cancer Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Departments of Medicine and Oncology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Onorato L, Calò F, Maggi P, Allegorico E, Gentile I, Sangiovanni V, Esposito V, Dell'Isola C, Calabria G, Pisapia R, Salomone Megna A, Masullo A, Manzillo E, Russo G, Parrella R, Dell'Aquila G, Gambardella M, Di Perna F, Pisaturo M, Coppola N. Prevalence and Epidemiological and Clinical Features of Bacterial Infections in a Large Cohort of Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19 in Southern Italy: A Multicenter Study. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1124. [PMID: 37508220 PMCID: PMC10376680 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12071124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of bacterial infections and antimicrobial prescriptions in a large cohort of COVID-19 patients and to identify the independent predictors of infection and antibiotic prescription. METHODS All consecutive patients hospitalized for COVID-19 from March 2020 to May 2021 at 1 of the 17 centers participating in the study were included. All subjects showing a clinical presentation consistent with a bacterial infection with microbiological confirmation (documented infection), and/or a procalcitonin value >1 ng/mL (suspected infection) were considered as having a coinfection (if present at admission) or a superinfection (if acquired after at least 48 h of hospital stay). RESULTS During the study period, of the 1993 patients, 42 (2.1%) presented with a microbiologically documented infection, including 17 coinfections and 25 superinfections, and 267 (13.2%) a suspected infection. A total of 478 subjects (24.5%) received an antibacterial treatment other than macrolides. No independent predictors of confirmed or suspected bacterial infection were identified. On the contrary, being hospitalized during the second wave of the pandemic (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.18-1.97, p = 0.001), having a SOFA score ≥3 (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.53-2.75, p < 0.001), a severe or critical disease (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.24-2.23, p < 0.001), and a high white blood cell count (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.004-1.06, p = 0.023) were all independently related to having received an antimicrobial prescription. CONCLUSIONS Our study reported a high rate of antimicrobial prescriptions despite a limited number of documented or suspected bacterial infections among the large cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Onorato
- Infectious Diseases Section, Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Federica Calò
- Infectious Diseases Section, Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Maggi
- Infectious Disease Unit, A.O. S Anna e S Sebastiano Caserta, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | | | - Ivan Gentile
- Infectious Disease Unit, University Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | | | - Vincenzo Esposito
- IV Infectious Disease Unit, AORN dei Colli, PO Cotugno, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Chiara Dell'Isola
- Hepatic Infectious Disease Unit, AORN dei Colli, PO Cotugno, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Giosuele Calabria
- IX Infectious Disease Unit, AORN dei Colli, PO Cotugno, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Raffaella Pisapia
- First Infectious Disease Unit, AORN dei Colli, PO Cotugno, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | | | - Alfonso Masullo
- Infectious Disease Unit, A.O. San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi D'Aragona Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy
| | - Elio Manzillo
- VIII Infectious Disease Unit, AORN dei Colli, PO Cotugno, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Grazia Russo
- Infectious Disease Unit, Ospedale Maria S.S. Addolorata di Eboli, ASL Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy
| | - Roberto Parrella
- Respiratory Infectious Diseases Unit, AORN dei Colli, PO Cotugno, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | | | - Michele Gambardella
- Infectious Disease Unit, P.O. S. Luca, ASL Salerno, 84078 Vallo della Lucania, Italy
| | | | - Mariantonietta Pisaturo
- Infectious Diseases Section, Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Nicola Coppola
- Infectious Diseases Section, Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
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Mackinnon ES, Anderson T, Raggi P, Gregoire J, Wani RJ, Packalen MS, Graves E, Ekwaru P, McMullen S, Goodman SG. Trends in major adverse cardiac events and healthcare utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta, Canada. CJC Open 2023:S2589-790X(23)00147-6. [PMID: 37366514 PMCID: PMC10286559 DOI: 10.1016/j.cjco.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Canada. The COVID-19 pandemic altered the usual care of ambulatory and acute cardiac patients. This study aimed to describe ASCVD-related clinical outcomes and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) patterns during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Alberta, Canada, relative to the three preceding years. Methods A repeated cross-sectional study design was conducted over three-month periods using administrative health data between March 15, 2017, and March 14, 2021. ASCVD-related clinical outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) endpoints. HCRU was assessed through general practitioner and other healthcare professional visits (including telehealth claims) for ASCVD events, emergency department visits, ASCVD diagnostic imaging tests, laboratory tests, and hospital length of stay. Results Relative to the control year period (March to June 2019) ASCVD-related events (i.e., hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits and physician office visits) declined by 23% during the three-months COVID-19 period (March to June 2020). Acute declines were not sustained following June 2020. In contrast, in-patient mortality rates involving a primary MACE endpoint increased from March to June 2020 COVID-19 period. Conclusions This study demonstrates the COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding public health restrictions impacted ASCVD-related care. While many clinical outcomes returned to pre-pandemic levels at the end of the observation period, our results suggest that patients' HCRU declined, which could lead to further CV events and mortality. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on ASCVD-related care may help improve healthcare resiliency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paulo Raggi
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Erin Graves
- Medlior Health Outcomes Research Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Paul Ekwaru
- Medlior Health Outcomes Research Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Shaun G Goodman
- St. Michaels Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, and Canadian VIGOUR Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Jalilian H, Mohammad Riahi S, Heydari S, Taji M. Performance analysis of hospitals before and during the COVID-19 in Iran: A cross-sectional study. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286943. [PMID: 37347784 PMCID: PMC10287007 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The COVID-19 pandemic placed considerable pressure on the health care systems and caused many disruptions to the care hospital system around the globe. This study aimed to analyze the performance of hospitals affiliated with the University of Medical Sciences and Health Services of South Khorasan Province before and during COVID-19. METHOD This cross-sectional study tracked the financial performance (FP) and service performance (SP) of 12 hospitals affiliated with South Khorasan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services using the Farabar system and Hospital Information System (HIS). Our study covered two time periods: from February 2018 to February 2020 (pre-COVID-19) and from February 2020 to February 2021 (during COVID-19). SP analysis of hospitals was performed by examining the trend of monthly changes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and analyzed using SPSS software version 22 and Paired Sample T-Test. FP of hospitals was analyzed through relevant ratios and analyzed using Microsoft Office Excel. RESULTS Most SP indicators decreased considerably in all hospitals during COVID-19. FP ratios (e.g., activity and leverage ratios) increased during either or both pre-COVID or COVID periods. Compared to before COVID-19, the operating margin ratio and operating expenses coverage from operating income increased from -0.50 and 66.55 to -1.42 and 41.32, respectively, during COVID-19. Moreover, the net profit margin ratio and Return On Assets (ROA) ratio were increased during COVID-19. CONCLUSION COVID-19 has decreased the FP and SP of hospitals due to limitations in providing services to patients since the beginning of COVID-19. Measures such as providing various financing resources and improving the financial resilience of hospitals are essential. Funds should be disbursed to offset hospitals' losses due to reduced elective and outpatient revenue. Policymakers should come up with holistic policies to tackle the adverse impact of such crises in the future, support hospitals financially, and consider allocating additional funding to them during emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Habib Jalilian
- Department of Health Services Management, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Riahi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Somayeh Heydari
- Department of Health Services Management, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Masoomeh Taji
- Deputy of Management Development and Resources, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
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Mahmoodpour-Azari M, Rezaei S, Badiee N, Hajizadeh M, Mohammadi A, Kazemi-Karyani A, Soltani S, Khezeli M. The COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare utilization in Iran: evidence from an interrupted time series analysis. Osong Public Health Res Perspect 2023; 14:180-187. [PMID: 37415435 PMCID: PMC10522821 DOI: 10.24171/j.phrp.2023.0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to examine the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on the hospitalization rate, emergency department (ED) visits, and outpatient clinic visits in western Iran. METHODS We collected data on the monthly hospitalization rate, rate of patients referred to the ED, and rate of patients referred to outpatient clinics for a period of 40 months (23 months before and 17 months after the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran) from all 7 public hospitals in the city of Kermanshah. An interrupted time series analysis was conducted to examine the impact of COVID-19 on the outcome variables in this study. RESULTS A statistically significant decrease of 38.11 hospitalizations per 10,000 population (95% confidence interval [CI], 24.93-51.29) was observed in the first month of the COVID-19 outbreak. The corresponding reductions in ED visits and outpatient visits per 10,000 population were 191.65 (95% CI, 166.63-216.66) and 168.57 (95% CI, 126.41-210.73), respectively. After the initial reduction, significant monthly increases in the hospitalization rate (an increase of 1.81 per 10,000 population), ED visits (an increase of 2.16 per 10,000 population), and outpatient clinic visits (an increase of 5.77 per 10,000 population) were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION Our study showed that the utilization of outpatient and inpatient services in hospitals and clinics significantly declined after the COVID-19 outbreak, and use of these services did not return to pre-outbreak levels as of June 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monireh Mahmoodpour-Azari
- Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Satar Rezaei
- Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Nasim Badiee
- Institute for Studies in Medicine History, Persian and Complementary Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Persian Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hajizadeh
- School of Health Administration, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Ali Mohammadi
- Department of Health Information Technology, Paramedical School, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Ali Kazemi-Karyani
- Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Shahin Soltani
- Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Mehdi Khezeli
- Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
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50
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Abe K, Kawachi I, Iba A, Miyawaki A. In-Hospital Deaths From Ambulatory Care-Sensitive Conditions Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2319583. [PMID: 37347480 PMCID: PMC10288336 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.19583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance The COVID-19 pandemic may have played a role in the deterioration of access to medical care for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs). Objective To ascertain whether the number of in-hospital deaths and in-hospital mortality rate associated with ACSC changed after the declaration of the COVID-19 national state of emergency in Japan. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used a difference-in-differences design to compare outcomes for ACSC in the period before (January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2019) vs the period after (January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020) Japan declared a national state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses used discharge summary data from 242 acute care hospitals across Japan. The sample comprised unscheduled hospitalizations of patients with ACSC during the study period (January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020). Data analyses were performed between August 16 and December 7, 2022. Exposure The declaration of the COVID-19 national state of emergency announced by the Japanese government in April 2020 was considered to be an exogenous shock. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary outcomes were the ACSC-associated number of in-hospital deaths, number of hospitalizations, and in-hospital mortality rate. Results A total of 28 321 ACSC-related hospitalizations were observed involving 15 318 males (54.1%), with a median (IQR) age of 76 (58-85) years. The number of in-hospital deaths was 2117 (7.5%). The number of hospitalizations decreased overall (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75-0.94), for chronic conditions (IRR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.77-0.92), and for vaccine-preventable conditions (IRR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.44-0.76). However, in-hospital deaths (IRR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.15-2.39) and in-hospital deaths within 24 hours of hospital arrival (IRR, 7.27 × 106; 95% CI, 1.83 × 106 to 2.89 × 107) increased for acute conditions. The in-hospital mortality rate increased for acute conditions (IRR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.16-2.54), and the 24-hour in-hospital mortality rates also increased overall (IRR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.19-2.96), for acute conditions (IRR, 2.15 × 106; 95% CI, 5.25 × 105 to 8.79 × 106), and for vaccine-preventable conditions (IRR, 4.64; 95% CI, 1.28-16.77). Conclusions and Relevance This cohort study found that in Japan, the number of in-hospital deaths increased after the declaration of the COVID-19 national state of emergency in 2020, particularly for acute ACSC and deaths within 24 hours of hospital admission. This finding suggests that access to good-quality primary care and inpatient care for patients with acute ACSC may have been compromised during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiro Abe
- Takemi Program in International Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ichiro Kawachi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Arisa Iba
- Institute for Global Health Policy Research, Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Miyawaki
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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