Quality of primary health care for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the quality of primary healthcare services for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic through studies evaluating health services. Method A systematic literature review was conducted. The search for articles covered the databases Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Medline/Pubmed. Original scientific articles with a case-control or cross-sectional design, involving populations that included older adults, focusing on primary healthcare, and assessing the quality of health services were included. Exclusion criteria were studies without specific analysis for older adults, studies evaluating health access or economic evaluation of health. The risk of bias analysis was conducted according to JBI protocols, and data synthesis was performed using SWiM guidelines. Results Seven studies were included in the review. The primary care services evaluated were mostly outpatient, with diverse quality assessment parameters related to individual care. The evaluation of quality identified a decrease in in-person consultations and visits, and an increase in the use of telehealth, with good satisfaction ratings among older adults. Conclusion The studies highlighted the difficulties maintaining and accessing in-person services during the COVID-19 pandemic, which directly contributed to a reduction in consultations and exams, usage of and access to health services, and the quality of primary healthcare.