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Emergency general surgery utilization and disparities during COVID-19: an interrupted time-series analysis
- Source :
- Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open, Vol 6, Iss 1 (2021), Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open, Trauma surgery & acute care open, vol 6, iss 1
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- BMJ Publishing Group, 2021.
-
Abstract
- ObjectiveWe aimed to compare general surgery emergency (GSE) volume, demographics and disease severity before and during COVID-19.BackgroundPresentations to the emergency department (ED) for GSEs fell during the early COVID-19 pandemic. Barriers to accessing care may be heightened, especially for vulnerable populations, and patients delaying care raises public health concerns.MethodsWe included adult patients with ED presentations for potential GSEs at a single quaternary-care hospital from January 2018 to August 2020. To compare GSE volumes in total and by subgroup, an interrupted time-series analysis was performed using the March shelter-in-place order as the start of the COVID-19 period. Bivariate analysis was used to compare demographics and disease severity.Results3255 patients (28/week) presented with potential GSEs before COVID-19, while 546 (23/week) presented during COVID-19. When shelter-in-place started, presentations fell by 8.7/week (31%) from the previous week (pConclusionsGSE volumes and severity fell during the pandemic. Patients presenting during the pandemic were less likely to be elderly, publicly insured and have limited English proficiency, potentially exacerbating underlying health disparities and highlighting the need to improve care access for these patients.Level of evidenceIII.
- Subjects :
- medicine.medical_specialty
general surgery
RD1-811
030204 cardiovascular system & hematology
Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
Interrupted Time Series Analysis
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Clinical Research
Pandemic
Emergency medical services
Medicine
030212 general & internal medicine
business.industry
RC86-88.9
Public health
General surgery
Brief Report
COVID-19
Medical emergencies. Critical care. Intensive care. First aid
Emergency department
Evidence-based medicine
emergency medical services
Health Services
Health equity
Good Health and Well Being
Limited English proficiency
emergency treatment
Surgery
Patient Safety
business
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 23975776
- Volume :
- 6
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....4993675b57364111e021fcce32c504e8