Lower respiratory tract infection admissions and deaths among children under 5 years in public sector facilities in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2019 - 2021).
S Afr Med J
; 114(3): e1560, 2024 Mar 18.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38525574
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the implementation of strict public health and social measures (PHSMs) (including mobility restrictions, social distancing, mask-wearing and hand hygiene), limitations on non-essential healthcare services, and public fear of COVID-19 infection, all of which potentially affected transmission and healthcare use for other diseases such as lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs).OBJECTIVE:
To determine changes in LRTI hospital admissions and in-facility mortality in children aged <5 years in the Western Cape Province during the pandemic.METHODS:
We conducted a retrospective analysis of LRTI admissions and in-facility deaths from January 2019 to November 2021. We estimated changes in rates and trends of LRTI admissions during the pandemic compared with pre-pandemic period using interrupted time series analysis, adjusting for key characteristics.RESULTS:
There were 36 277 children admitted for LRTIs during the study period, of whom 58% were male and 51% were aged 28 days - 1 year. COVID-19 restrictions were associated with a 13% step reduction in LRTI admissions compared with the pre-COVID-19 period (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI)) 0.80 - 0.94). The average LRTI admission trend increased on average by 2% per month during the pandemic (IRR 1.02, 95% CI 1.02 - 1.04).CONCLUSIONS:
The COVID-19 surges and their associated measures were linked to declining LRTI admissions and in-facility deaths, likely driven by a combination of reduced infectious disease transmission and reduced use of healthcare services, with effects diminishing over time. These findings may inform future pandemic response policies.
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Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio
/
COVID-19
País/Región como asunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
S Afr Med J
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article