Change in Disease Dynamics and Health Care Utilisation in Children during COVID 19 in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Eastern India

Bandya  Sahoo; S. Suneeti  Kanyari; Deepti Damayanty  Pradhan; Sibabratta  Patnaik; Manas Ranjan  Behera

doi:10.55489/njcm.1332022395

Authors

Bandya Sahoo Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar
S. Suneeti Kanyari Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar
Deepti Damayanty Pradhan Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar
Sibabratta Patnaik Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar
Manas Ranjan Behera Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55489/njcm.1332022395

Keywords:

COVID-19, Disease dynamics, Health care, Tertiary care hospital

Abstract

This retrospective, observational study was conducted by collecting data from medical records during COVID 19 pandemic from March 2020 till August 2020. This was compared with the data of 2019 during similar months. The impact of COVID 19 on use of preventive and curative paediatric health care service units like outpatient department, casualty, intensive care and immunization clinic were assessed. Data from 2019 to 2020 were compared using standard parametric and nonparametric tests. There was a significant decline in routine OPD (68%) attendance during the COVID 19 period as compared to pre-COVID period. Paediatric ward admissions and PICU admissions were decreased by 55% and 42% respectively. We also observed a significant 43% decline in the number of children attending immunization clinic in the year 2020. The fear of COVID 19 pandemic and the measures taken to control the pandemic has affected the health seeking behaviour of patients. This evaluation of trends in healthcare use may help in planning the delivery of healthcare service delivery in future.

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