International Journal of Public Health (Jul 2023)
Changes in Healthcare Utilization During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Potential Causes—A Cohort Study From Switzerland
- Erika Harju,
- Erika Harju,
- Erika Harju,
- Alexandre Speierer,
- Katharina Tabea Jungo,
- Sara Levati,
- Stéphanie Baggio,
- Stéphanie Baggio,
- Stefano Tancredi,
- Nazihah Noor,
- Pierre-Yves Rodondi,
- Stéphane Cullati,
- Stéphane Cullati,
- Medea Imboden,
- Medea Imboden,
- Dirk Keidel,
- Dirk Keidel,
- Melissa Witzig,
- Melissa Witzig,
- Irène Frank,
- Philipp Kohler,
- Christian Kahlert,
- Christian Kahlert,
- Luca Crivelli,
- Rebecca Amati,
- Emiliano Albanese,
- Marco Kaufmann,
- Anja Frei,
- Viktor von Wyl,
- Viktor von Wyl,
- Milo A. Puhan,
- Nicole Probst-Hensch,
- Nicole Probst-Hensch,
- Gisela Michel,
- Nicolas Rodondi,
- Nicolas Rodondi,
- Patricia Chocano-Bedoya,
- Patricia Chocano-Bedoya
Affiliations
- Erika Harju
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Erika Harju
- School of Health Sciences, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland
- Erika Harju
- Clinical Trial Unit, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Alexandre Speierer
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Katharina Tabea Jungo
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Sara Levati
- Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Manno, Switzerland
- Stéphanie Baggio
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Stéphanie Baggio
- Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), Department of Community Health, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Stefano Tancredi
- Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), Department of Community Health, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Nazihah Noor
- Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), Department of Community Health, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Pierre-Yves Rodondi
- Institute of Family Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Stéphane Cullati
- Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), Department of Community Health, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Stéphane Cullati
- Quality of Care Service, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Medea Imboden
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Allschwil, Switzerland
- Medea Imboden
- 0Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Dirk Keidel
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Allschwil, Switzerland
- Dirk Keidel
- 0Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Melissa Witzig
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Allschwil, Switzerland
- Melissa Witzig
- 0Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Irène Frank
- Clinical Trial Unit, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Philipp Kohler
- 1Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Christian Kahlert
- 1Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Christian Kahlert
- 2Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Switzerland, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Luca Crivelli
- Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Manno, Switzerland
- Rebecca Amati
- 3Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Emiliano Albanese
- 3Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Marco Kaufmann
- 4Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Anja Frei
- 4Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Viktor von Wyl
- 4Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Viktor von Wyl
- 5Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Milo A. Puhan
- 4Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Nicole Probst-Hensch
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Allschwil, Switzerland
- Nicole Probst-Hensch
- 0Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Gisela Michel
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Nicolas Rodondi
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Nicolas Rodondi
- 6Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Patricia Chocano-Bedoya
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Patricia Chocano-Bedoya
- Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), Department of Community Health, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2023.1606010
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 68
Abstract
Objectives: To describe the frequency of and reasons for changes in healthcare utilization in those requiring ongoing treatment, and to assess characteristics associated with change, during the second wave of the pandemic.Methods: Corona Immunitas e-cohort study (age ≥20 years) participants completed monthly questionnaires. We compared participants reporting a change in healthcare utilization with those who did not using descriptive and bivariate statistics. We explored characteristics associated with the number of changes using negative binomial regression.Results: The study included 3,190 participants from nine research sites. One-fifth reported requiring regular treatment. Among these, 14% reported a change in healthcare utilization, defined as events in which participants reported that they changed their ongoing treatment, irrespective of the reason. Reasons for change were medication changes and side-effects, specifically for hypertension, or pulmonary embolism treatment. Females were more likely to report changes [Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) = 2.15, p = 0.002]. Those with hypertension were least likely to report changes [IRR = 0.35, p = 0.019].Conclusion: Few of those requiring regular treatment reported changes in healthcare utilization. Continuity of care for females and chronic diseases besides hypertension must be emphasized.
Keywords
