Characteristics of COVID-19-Related Free Telephone Consultations by Public Health Nurses in Japan: A Retrospective Study.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to (1) describe the characteristics of community residents who used coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related telephone consultation systems by public health nurses (PHNs) and (2) analyze the concerns they had during the first wave of COVID-19 in Japan. Among 1126 telephone consultations, PHNs recorded telephone consultations between 25 March, and 30 April, 2020, in City A, Japan. We analyzed 1017 consultations involving 799 (79%) community residents (resident group) and 218 (21%) organizational representatives (organization group) located in City A. Half of the consultations were made during midmorning, and most of the consultations were regarding COVID-19 symptoms. Among the resident group, visiting a primary care doctor was the most common recommendation by the PHNs; there was no difference in provision of consultation by sex. Health- and welfare-related organizations mainly consulted PHNs about "having COVID-19-related symptoms" and "undergoing PCR testing," and PHNs' recommended them to visit a primary care doctor and coordinate PCR testing. The results suggest that public health centers should provide more helpful information on COVID-19 that accurately reflects the concerns of the population.