Kyung Mi Jang1, Ji Young Ahn1, Hee Joung Choi2, Sukhee Lee3, Dongsub Kim4, Dong Won Lee5, Jae Young Choe6. 1. Department of Pediatrics, Yeungnam University School of Medicine, Yeungnam University Hospital, Daegu, Korea. 2. Department of Pediatrics, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. 3. Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu, Korea. 4. Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea. 5. Department of Pediatrics, Daegu Fatima Hospital, Korea. 6. Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea. choejy@hanmail.net.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Limited data exist on children's utilization of the emergency department (ED) in the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Thus, we aimed to examine ED utilization among pediatric patients and the impact of COVID-19 in one large city affected by the outbreak. METHODS: This retrospective study included data from six EDs in Daegu, Korea. We compared the demographic and clinical data of patients presenting to the ED during the COVID-19 pandemic (February 1st-June 30th 2020) with those of patients who visited the ED in this period during 2018 and 2019. RESULTS: Fewer patients, particularly children visited the EDs during the study period in 2020 than those in the previous (2018/2019) year period: the number of adult patient decreased by 46.4% and children by 76.9%. Although the number of patients increased from the lowest point of the decrease in March 2020, the number of pediatric patients visiting the ED remained less than half (45.2%) in June 2020 compared with that of previous years. The proportion of patients with severe conditions increased in adults, infants, and school-aged children, and consequently resulted in increased ambulance use and higher hospitalization rates. Fewer infants and young children but more school-aged children visited the ED with febrile illnesses in 2020 than in 2018/2019. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a substantial decrease in pediatric ED utilization. These findings can help reallocate human and material resources in the EDs during infectious disease outbreaks.
BACKGROUND: Limited data exist on children's utilization of the emergency department (ED) in the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Thus, we aimed to examine ED utilization among pediatric patients and the impact of COVID-19 in one large city affected by the outbreak. METHODS: This retrospective study included data from six EDs in Daegu, Korea. We compared the demographic and clinical data of patients presenting to the ED during the COVID-19 pandemic (February 1st-June 30th 2020) with those of patients who visited the ED in this period during 2018 and 2019. RESULTS: Fewer patients, particularly children visited the EDs during the study period in 2020 than those in the previous (2018/2019) year period: the number of adult patient decreased by 46.4% and children by 76.9%. Although the number of patients increased from the lowest point of the decrease in March 2020, the number of pediatric patients visiting the ED remained less than half (45.2%) in June 2020 compared with that of previous years. The proportion of patients with severe conditions increased in adults, infants, and school-aged children, and consequently resulted in increased ambulance use and higher hospitalization rates. Fewer infants and young children but more school-aged children visited the ED with febrile illnesses in 2020 than in 2018/2019. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a substantial decrease in pediatric ED utilization. These findings can help reallocate human and material resources in the EDs during infectious disease outbreaks.
Authors: Peter Del Mar; Min Joung Kim; Nathan J Brown; Joon Min Park; Kevin Chu; John Burke Journal: Emerg Med Australas Date: 2022-08-23 Impact factor: 2.279