Differences in healthcare use and mortality in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: Exploring long-term care users' vulnerability
Isabel Aguilar-Palacio,
Lina Maldonado,
Sara Malo,
Sara Castel-Feced,
Alberto Cebollada,
Alejandra Aguilar-Latorre,
M José Rabanaque
Affiliations
Isabel Aguilar-Palacio
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; Grupo de Investigación en Servicios Sanitarios de Aragón (GRISSA), Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain; Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Corresponding author. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
Lina Maldonado
Grupo de Investigación en Servicios Sanitarios de Aragón (GRISSA), Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain; Department of Applied Economics, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
Sara Malo
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; Grupo de Investigación en Servicios Sanitarios de Aragón (GRISSA), Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain; Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
Sara Castel-Feced
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; Grupo de Investigación en Servicios Sanitarios de Aragón (GRISSA), Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain
Alberto Cebollada
Biocomputing Unit, Institute for Health Sciences in Aragon (IACS), Zaragoza, Spain
Alejandra Aguilar-Latorre
Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Aragonese Primary Care Research Group (GAIAP), Institute for Health Research Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain
M José Rabanaque
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; Grupo de Investigación en Servicios Sanitarios de Aragón (GRISSA), Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain; Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
Background: The objective of our study is to analyze the health care received by older adults with COVID-19 according to their place of residence (whether or not they live in a long-term care [LTC] facility) and to find out the effect of health care on mortality. Methods: Retrospective cohort study based in Aragón (Spain) from March 2020 to March 2021 in patients aged 65 years or older with a confirmed COVID-19 infection. The population was classified according to their place of residence (living in a LTC or not). A propensity score was used to match individuals by sex and age. The effect of living in a LTC facility on healthcare delivery and mortality was conducted using adjusted multivariate models. Varimp was used to estimate the best predictors of mortality for both groups. Results: Healthcare services utilization varied depending on whether the patients lived in a LTC facility or not. The time to diagnosis was shorter in institutionalized patients, but the time to hospital admission was longer. Length of hospital stays, risk of ICU admission and 30-day mortality were also different and remained statistically significant in the adjusted models. The variables that were more important in the association between healthcare utilization and mortality were those associated with greater severity of COVID-19. Conclusions: There were differences in health care for older adults diagnosed with COVID-19 according to their place of residence. There is a need to strengthen collaboration between professionals in LTC centers and health services to provide equitable health care.
