The COVID-19 impact on STEMI disparities.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Health Equity

Background:

• ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains a leading cause of death and disability.
• Existing health disparities in STEMI care persist despite awareness of social determinants.
• The COVID-19 pandemic impacted emergency healthcare services, necessitating an evaluation of its effect on STEMI care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate potential health disparities in STEMI patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To compare STEMI intervention turnaround times pre-pandemic (2019) versus during the pandemic (2020).
• To establish a baseline for assessing equitable STEMI care within a hospital system.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of STEMI patient data from April to September 2019 and April to September 2020.
• Inclusion criteria: STEMI patients presenting within 12 hours of symptom onset.
• Analysis of turnaround times (emergency department arrival to intervention) stratified by age, gender, and race/ethnicity.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences in STEMI intervention turnaround times were observed between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods.
• Turnaround times remained consistent across various patient subgroups (age, gender, race/ethnicity) during both study periods.
• Despite pandemic-related shifts in emergency department resources, STEMI care timeliness was maintained.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic did not introduce statistically significant disparities in STEMI intervention times based on demographic factors within this health system.
• This study provides a crucial baseline for future assessments of STEMI care equity and the impact of interventions aimed at reducing disparities.
• Continuous monitoring is essential for identifying and addressing any emerging gaps in STEMI care.