Changes in pediatric healthcare utilization in Hunan Province, China, during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multi-center cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought remarkable disruption to the ways in which healthcare was delivered. This study aimed to examine changes in pediatric healthcare utilization in Hunan Province, China, during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: An electronic survey was conducted among 142 hospitals in Hunan Province, China. Using data from January 1 to April 30, 2019 as a reference, the changes in the number of visits for different types of pediatric healthcare between January 1 and April 30, 2020 were calculated. Changes in the number of admissions for infections and injuries were also evaluated. Results:The total number of pediatric healthcare presentations decreased by 53.3% in the first four months of 2020. The most remarkable reductions were observed in the utilization of emergency room (ranging from -45.7% to -94.9% among three hospital levels) and observation room (-55.8% to -77.7%); neonatal inpatient care experienced the smallest decreases (-21.2% to -25.5%). Approximately 85% of the total reduction in the number of pediatric inpatient admissions was attributable to the reduction in admissions for infections. A 13.3% increase in the number of admissions for injuries was observed among third-level hospitals. Conclusions:The utilization of all types of pediatric healthcare services in Hunan Province declined markedly after the outbreak of COVID-19. The reasons, consequences, and responses to these changes should be addressed in future studies and actions.

Impact of COVID-19 on paediatric admissions to a Chinese hospital: a single-centre retrospective chart review

“…The decreasing number of hospitalisation cases in our research in the COVID-19 period is in line with the conclusions of Chong et al and Yan et al that healthcare utilisation decreased in some epidemic periods 8 9. In our study, the reduction in respiratory diseases was the most obvious.…”

The impact of COVID-19 on paediatric emergency department visits. A one-year retrospective study

“…During the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced rates of visits to the emergency departments (ED) of hospitals have been reported worldwide. 5 , 6 The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the paediatric ED visits and hospital admissions at a tertiary university hospital in Greece, by comparing 1-year data from the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 to February 2021), and data from the preceding year (March 2019–February 2020). The COVID-19 year includes two periods of strict lockdown (March–April 2020 and November 2020–February 2021), and a 6-month period of less stringent measures (May 2020–October 2020).…”

Changes in inpatient admissions before and during COVID-19 outbreak in a large tertiary hospital in Shanghai

“…In China, the utilization of inpatient and outpatient health services in medical institutions of all levels also dropped significantly after the outbreak (2). Among paediatric patients, the number of respiratory tract infections decreased in all facilities in Hunan Province, China (10), while the loss of outpatient visits in tertiary hospitals in Shanghai was greater compared to that in non-tertiary hospitals (11). In primary care settings, the decreased number of visits was related to the reappointment rate and average waiting time (12).…”