IJERPH, Vol. 19, Pages 13259: Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Hospital Visits of Rural Residents in Guangdong, China: A Controlled Interrupted Time Series Study

IJERPH, Vol. 19, Pages 13259: Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Hospital Visits of Rural Residents in Guangdong, China: A Controlled Interrupted Time Series Study International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph192013259 Authors: Wenfang Zhong Rong Yin Yan Pan Xiangliang Zhang Andre M. N. Renzaho Li Ling Xingge Li Wen Chen To date, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the healthcare-seeking behavior and utilization of health services in rural areas where healthcare resources are scarce. We aimed to quantify the long-term impact of COVID-19 on hospital visits of rural residents in China. We collected data on the hospitalization of all residents covered by national health insurance schemes in a county in southern China from April 2017 to March 2021. We analyzed changes in residents’ hospitalization visits in different areas, i.e., within-county, out-of-county but within-city, and out-of-city, via a controlled interrupted time series approach. Subgroup analyses based on gender, age, hospital levels, and ICD-10 classifications for hospital visits were examined. After experiencing a significant decline in hospitalization cases after the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, the pattern of rural residents’ hospitalization utilization differed markedly by disease classification. Notably, we found that the overall demand for hospital...
Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research