Background: The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a catastrophic event worldwide. Since then, people's way of living has changed in terms of personal behavior, social interaction, and medical-seeking behavior, including change of the emergency department (ED) visiting patterns. The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ED visiting patterns of the older people to explore its variable expression with the intention of ameliorating an effective and suitable response to public health emergencies.
Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted in three hospitals of the Cathay Health System in Taiwan. Patients aged ≥ 65 years who presented to the ED between January 21, 2020, and April 30, 2020 (pandemic stage), and between January 21, 2019, and April 30, 2019 (pre-pandemic stage) were enrolled in the study. Basic demographics, including visit characteristics, disposition, and chief complaints of the patients visiting the ED between these two periods of time, were compared and analyzed.
Results: A total of 16,655 older people were included in this study. A 20.91% reduction in ED older adult patient visits was noted during the pandemic period. During the pandemic, there was a decrease in ambulance use among elderly patients visiting the ED, with the proportion decreasing from 16.90 to 16.58%. Chief complaints of fever, upper respiratory infections, psychological and social problems increased, with incidence risk ratios (IRRs) of 1.12, 1.23, 1.25, and 5.2, respectively. Meanwhile, the incidence of both non-life-threatening and life-threatening complaints decreased, with IRRs of 0.72 and 0.83, respectively.
Conclusion: Health education regarding life-threatening symptom signs among older adult patients and avocation of the proper timing to seek medical attention via ambulance were crucial issues during the pandemic.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10243245 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12873-023-00819-5 | DOI Listing |
Int J Drug Policy
December 2024
First Nations Health Authority, 100 Park Royal S, Coast Salish Territory, BC V7T 1A2, Canada; Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Blusson Hall, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
Background: In response to the dual public health emergencies of COVID-19 and the overdose crisis, the Government of British Columbia (BC) introduced risk mitigation prescribing, or prescribed safer supply. In the context of colonialism and racism, Indigenous people are disproportionately impacted by substance use harms and experience significant barriers to receiving care, particularly those living in rural and remote communities. As part of a larger provincial evaluation, we sought to assess the implementation of risk mitigation prescribing as experienced by Indigenous people who use drugs (IPWUD) in Northern BC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrop Med Health
December 2024
Department of Global Health, Graduate School of Health Sciences, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Japan.
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the health and education of learners globally. However, there is a lack of information on enablers and barriers to the implementation of comprehensive school health policies during the pandemic.
Methods: This study utilized a case study design, and was conducted in the Division of City Schools of Navotas.
BMC Cardiovasc Disord
December 2024
Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, 10# Kangfu road, Wuhu, Anhui Province, 241000, China.
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamic changes in QTc interval duration among patients with COVID-19 infection before, during, and after infection, in order to assess the short- and potential long-term impact of COVID-19 on cardiac electrophysiology.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 303 inpatients diagnosed with COVID-19 who visited a tertiary Grade A hospital in China between August 2022 and December 2023. Inclusion criteria required patients to have at least two electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings at three specific time points: before COVID-19 infection, during acute infection, and after recovery (more than one month post-infection).
BMC Womens Health
December 2024
Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Background: The prevalence of domestic abuse is greater in times of humanitarian crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic has been no different. Considerable evidence indicates that domestic abuse disproportionately impacts the mental health and wellbeing of racially Minoritised women. The present study aimed to explore racially Minoritised women's experiences of domestic abuse and mental health in the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNurs Open
December 2024
School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Aim: To discuss the need to expand advanced practice nurse education in Sub-Saharan Africa as a strategic response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design: Discursive paper.
Method: Searching international literature in PubMed, CINAHL and Google Scholar databases, we explored the impact of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa and the advanced practice nurse role and education in the pandemic response.
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