Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
School of Health Sciences, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland.
Int J Public Health. 2023 Jul 26;68:1606010. doi: 10.3389/ijph.2023.1606010. eCollection 2023.
To describe the frequency of and reasons for changes in healthcare utilization in those requiring ongoing treatment, and to assess characteristics associated with change, during the second wave of the pandemic. Corona Immunitas e-cohort study (age ≥20 years) participants completed monthly questionnaires. We compared participants reporting a change in healthcare utilization with those who did not using descriptive and bivariate statistics. We explored characteristics associated with the number of changes using negative binomial regression. The study included 3,190 participants from nine research sites. One-fifth reported requiring regular treatment. Among these, 14% reported a change in healthcare utilization, defined as events in which participants reported that they changed their ongoing treatment, irrespective of the reason. Reasons for change were medication changes and side-effects, specifically for hypertension, or pulmonary embolism treatment. Females were more likely to report changes [Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) = 2.15, = 0.002]. Those with hypertension were least likely to report changes [IRR = 0.35, = 0.019]. Few of those requiring regular treatment reported changes in healthcare utilization. Continuity of care for females and chronic diseases besides hypertension must be emphasized.
描述在第二波大流行期间需要持续治疗的人群中医疗保健利用变化的频率和原因，并评估与变化相关的特征。 Corona Immunitas e-cohort 研究（年龄≥20 岁）的参与者每月完成问卷。我们使用描述性和双变量统计比较报告医疗保健利用变化的参与者与未报告变化的参与者。我们使用负二项回归探索与变化数量相关的特征。该研究包括来自九个研究地点的 3190 名参与者。五分之一的人报告需要定期治疗。在这些人中，14%的人报告医疗保健利用发生变化，定义为参与者报告他们改变了正在进行的治疗，无论原因如何。变化的原因是药物变化和副作用，特别是高血压或肺栓塞治疗。女性更有可能报告变化[发病率比（IRR）= 2.15， = 0.002]。高血压患者最不可能报告变化[IRR = 0.35， = 0.019]。需要定期治疗的患者中很少有人报告医疗保健利用发生变化。必须强调女性和高血压以外的慢性病的连续性护理。
