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Association between stringency of lockdown measures and emergency department visits during the COVID-19 pandemic: A

F Marlijn Booij-Tromp1, Nicole J van Groningen2, Sebastian Vervuurt3

  • 1Emergency Department, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Plos One
|May 21, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Emergency Department (ED) visits significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, with stricter lockdown measures correlating to greater reductions. This highlights the impact of public health policies on healthcare utilization.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Healthcare Management

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted healthcare services, including Emergency Department (ED) capacity and utilization.
  • Lockdown measures were implemented to control disease spread and prevent hospital overcrowding, but their impact on ED visits remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the frequency and characteristics of ED visits in 2020 versus 2019 during the COVID-19 outbreak.
  • To analyze the relationship between the stringency of lockdown measures and ED utilization patterns.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective multicenter study was conducted across five Dutch hospitals.
  • Data on ED visits (absolute numbers, demographics, triage, referral, disposition, specialty) were collected for 2018-2020.
  • The Oxford Stringency Index (OSI) was used to quantify lockdown stringency and its correlation with ED visit data.

Main Results:

  • Total ED visits decreased by 18.2% in 2020 compared to 2019 across the five hospitals.
  • The reduction in ED visits was more pronounced during periods of higher lockdown stringency, as indicated by the OSI.
  • Secondary outcomes like patient demographics and triage categories also showed variations during the study period.

Conclusions:

  • The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic saw a significant decline in ED visits in the Netherlands.
  • A clear association exists between increased lockdown stringency and decreased ED utilization.
  • The Oxford Stringency Index (OSI) can serve as a valuable tool for managing ED visits during future pandemics.
Abstract

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