An analysis is presented to describe the hydromagnetic mixed convection flow of an electrically conducting micropolar fluid past a vertical plate through a porous medium with radiation and slip flow regime. A uniform magnetic field has been considered in the study which absorbs the micropolar fluid with a varying suction velocity and acts perpendicular to the porous surface of the above plate.The governing non-linear partial differential equations have been transformed into linear partial differential equations, which are solved numerically by applying the explicit finite difference method. The numerical results are presented graphically in the form of velocity, micro-rotation, concentration and temperature profiles, the skin-friction coefficient, the couple stress coefficient, the rate of heat and mass transfers at the wall for different material parameters.
Objectives:
The objectives of this study were to analyze the profile of outpatient department (OPD) attendance of a tertiary care hospital during pre- and post-pandemic lockdown period.
Materials and Methods:
All consecutive patients presenting to OPD from August 1, 2019 to November 23, 2020 were included in the study. The sample was divided into Zone R (Regular domain) and Zone L (Lockdown domain). Zone L was divided into three groups A, B, and C; representing attendance to be <30%, 30–60%, and >60% of previous (i.e., Zone R), respectively. The patient gender, intradepartmental, and inter departmental OPD attendance data were collected and analyzed.
Results:
n = 428,322 patients attended the OPD in the study period. 301,586 patients presented in Zone R and 126,736 presented in Zone L (P = 0.000). Zone L recorded an OPD attendance drop to 42% of Zone R. The least attended an OPD (Group A) was ophthalmology, ENT, dermatology, surgery, and orthopedics versus highest attendance (Group C) was noticed in emergency OPD and oncology with a moderate decline in the rest (P = −0.00, 0.00, and 0.00, respectively). Both male and female attendance in the OPD showed a decline; however, the gender divide was apparent with significantly low women attendance in all the departments (P = 0.00).
Conclusion:
OPD attendance showed a significant reduction in COVID lockdown era hitting the non-emergent medical branches the most. The gender divide significantly widened with less female attendance recorded in most OPDs in pandemic lockdown. Apt administrative measures could prove fruitful by an improved OPD attendance and its psychosocial implications to a society with less disease burden.
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