Pandemic Disruptions to Private Pathology Testing Uptake in Australia, 2019-2024

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Pandemics, like COVID-19, disrupt healthcare systems, affecting both direct disease impact and indirect operational changes.
• Fear of infection and altered healthcare-seeking behaviors may reduce attendance for non-COVID related medical services.
• Pathology testing is crucial for disease diagnosis and management, making its disruption a significant public health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on non-COVID pathology testing volumes in Australia.
• To quantify changes in specific pathology test categories during pandemic-related lockdowns.
• To evaluate the persistence of these impacts on pathology services.

Main Methods:

• Utilized pathology data from a national private provider across four Australian states/territories (2019-2024).
• Included tests such as histology, prostate-specific antigen, gynaecological cytology, complete blood count, haemoglobin A1c, and human immunodeficiency virus.
• Compared weekly testing volumes during lockdown periods with equivalent weeks in 2019.

Main Results:

• All pathology tests showed a substantial decline during the initial March 2020 national lockdown.
• Subsequent lockdowns also correlated with significant disruptions in testing volumes.
• Total annual testing volumes decreased in 2020 for most tests compared to 2019, with reductions persisting through 2024.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic caused substantial and sustained negative impacts on non-COVID pathology testing.
• Reduced pathology testing increases the risk of delayed diagnoses and disrupted chronic disease management.
• These findings highlight the need for strategies to mitigate pandemic-related disruptions to essential diagnostic services.