Impact of the COVID-19 and Socioeconomic Status on Access to Care for Otorhinolaryngology Patients.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
; 19(19)2022 09 20.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36231170
ABSTRACT
Since December 2019, COVID-19 has greatly influenced public healthcare systems around the globe in various aspects, including limitation of healthcare accessibility due to lack of both human and financial resources, suspension of clinics, and fear of infection causing healthcare avoidance. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on access to healthcare for otorhinolaryngology patients from different socioeconomic status (SES) groups. Otorhinolaryngology patients' disease severity status, diagnosed at the first hospital visit, was investigated during the pre -and post-COVID-19 pandemic era in a single medical center located in Seoul, Korea. An ordinal regression model was used to assess the impact of both SES and the COVID-19 pandemic on otorhinolaryngology diseases. Within the chronic rhinosinusitis group, lower SES was associated with a higher disease severity at the first visit compared to higher SES (OR = 3.25). During the COVID-19 pandemic, while the total number of outpatients was reduced, the severity of these ENT diseases seemed to increase compared to the pre-pandemic severity in every SES group. Our study demonstrates the negative impact a worldwide pandemic can have on healthcare inequity and disease severity, and highlights the importance of re-allocating fundamental resources for those in need during periods of public health crisis.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Contexto en salud:
11_ODS3_cobertura_universal
/
1_ASSA2030
/
2_ODS3
/
4_TD
Problema de salud:
11_multisectoral_coordination
/
1_acesso_equitativo_servicos
/
2_cobertura_universal
/
4_pneumonia
Asunto principal:
Otolaringología
/
COVID-19
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Límite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Int J Environ Res Public Health
Año:
2022
Tipo del documento:
Article