Disruption Of Non-COVID-19 Health Care In Latin America During The Pandemic: Effects On Health, Lessons For Policy.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted health and well-being in Latin America.
• Disruptions to non-COVID-19 health services had profound indirect effects on population health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of health service disruptions on population health in Latin America.
• To quantify changes in hospitalization and mortality for treatable conditions during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Utilized administrative data from 2015-2021 in Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru.
• Examined public hospital discharges and mortality rates for conditions amenable to healthcare.
• Compared data from March 2020-December 2021 with prepandemic years.

Main Results:

• Hospitalization rates for treatable conditions decreased by 28% between March 2020 and December 2021.
• Mortality rates for these conditions increased by 15% compared to prepandemic levels.
• Noncommunicable diseases accounted for 89% of the excess mortality, with the poorest regions most affected.

Conclusions:

• Maintaining essential health services during the pandemic could have prevented at least 96,000 deaths in the region.
• Policies must prioritize continuity of care for noncommunicable diseases during emergencies.
• Strategies include telemedicine, task-shifting to non-physician workers, and improved medication delivery.