Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 11, 2025
Nasal Brushing Sampling and Processing Using Digital High Speed Ciliary Videomicroscopy – Adaptation for the COVID-19 Pandemic
Published on: November 7, 2020
Pediatric Asthma Health Care Utilization, Viral Testing, and Air Pollution Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Kiara Taquechel1, Avantika R Diwadkar2, Samir Sayed1
1Division of Allergy and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered pediatric asthma care, reducing in-person visits and systemic steroid prescriptions. Telemedicine became dominant, while reduced rhinovirus infections may have impacted asthma care patterns.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric pulmonology
- Epidemiology
- Public health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic drastically reshaped healthcare delivery and daily life.
- Understanding its impact on pediatric asthma care is crucial for future healthcare strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze changes in pediatric asthma care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Investigate shifts in healthcare utilization, viral testing, and air pollution.
Main Methods:
- Extracted electronic health record data for asthma encounters and viral testing from 2015-2020.
- Utilized AirNow data for air pollution levels.
- Compared pre- and post-intervention periods (after March 17, 2020) with historical data.
Main Results:
- In-person asthma visits dropped significantly (87% outpatient, 84% inpatient/ER).
- Video telemedicine emerged as the primary modality (61% of visits), with increased telephone use.
- Systemic steroid prescriptions and rhinovirus positivity rates declined; air pollution levels remained stable.
Conclusions:
- The COVID-19 pandemic led to substantial changes in pediatric asthma care delivery in Philadelphia.
- Decreased asthma-related hospital admissions and systemic steroid use were observed.
- Reduced rhinovirus infections may have played a role in these observed care pattern shifts.
Background:
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused dramatic changes in daily routines and health care utilization and delivery patterns in the United States. Understanding the influence of these changes and associated public health interventions on asthma care is important to determine effects on patient outcomes and identify measures that will ensure optimal future health care delivery.
Objective:
We sought to identify changes in pediatric asthma-related health care utilization, respiratory viral testing, and air pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods:
For the time period January 17 to May 17, 2015 to 2020, asthma-related encounters and weekly summaries of respiratory viral testing data were extracted from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia electronic health records, and pollution data for 4 criteria air pollutants were extracted from AirNow. Changes in encounter characteristics, viral testing patterns, and air pollution before and after Mar 17, 2020, the date public health interventions to limit viral transmission were enacted in Philadelphia, were assessed and compared with data from 2015 to 2019 as a historical reference.
Results:
After March 17, 2020, in-person asthma encounters decreased by 87% (outpatient) and 84% (emergency + inpatient). Video telemedicine, which was not previously available, became the most highly used asthma encounter modality (61% of all visits), and telephone encounters increased by 19%. Concurrently, asthma-related systemic steroid prescriptions and frequency of rhinovirus test positivity decreased, although air pollution levels did not substantially change, compared with historical trends.
Conclusions:
The COVID-19 pandemic in Philadelphia was accompanied by changes in pediatric asthma health care delivery patterns, including reduced admissions and systemic steroid prescriptions. Reduced rhinovirus infections may have contributed to these patterns.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Asthma-IV: Diagnostic and Management
Clinical Assessment for Asthma:
This is the first step in diagnosing and managing asthma. It includes:
01:20Asthma: Pathogenesis and Management
Asthma is classified as allergic and non-allergic. Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander trigger allergic asthma, while factors like cold air, intense emotions, or exercise can induce non-allergic asthma.
01:24Asthma-III: Symptoms and Complications
Classification of Asthma
01:29Asthma-I: Introduction
01:30Asthma-IV: Nursing Management
First, in...
01:26Asthma-II: Pathophysiology and Classification
Additionally, environmental and genetic factors play crucial roles in determining an individual's susceptibility to asthma and the severity of their condition.
Critical processes in asthma pathophysiology include: