Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) excess mortality outcomes associated with pandemic effects study (COPES): A

David Lu1, Sumeet Dhanoa1, Harleen Cheema1

  • 1Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Alberta Health Services, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.

Frontiers in Medicine
|January 2, 2023
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic increased all-cause mortality, including non-COVID-19 deaths, beyond what was expected from COVID-19 deaths alone. However, the evidence supporting this finding is of very low certainty.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Healthcare Management

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has strained global healthcare systems, necessitating resource allocation for COVID-19 patients.
  • Minimizing overall excess mortality, encompassing both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 deaths, is a critical challenge for healthcare providers.
  • Understanding the pandemic's impact on all-cause mortality is essential for effective public health strategies.

Conclusions:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic may have driven a significant increase in all-cause excess mortality.
  • This increase appears to be greater than that attributable to COVID-19 mortality alone.
  • However, the current evidence base is uncertain, highlighting the need for further high-quality research.
Abstract

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