Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, Groningen, 9712 TS, the Netherlands, 31 (0)50-363 6419.
Department of Health, Living Environment, and Aftercare, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2024 Sep 26;10:e53368. doi: 10.2196/53368.
The COVID-19 pandemic challenged societies worldwide. The implementation of mitigation measures to limit the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections resulted in unintended health effects.
The objective of this study is to demonstrate the use of an existing syndromic surveillance system in primary care during a first series of quarterly cross-sectional monitoring cycles, targeting health problems presented in primary care among Dutch youth since August 2021.
Aggregated data from the surveillance system of Nivel Primary Care Database were analyzed quarterly to monitor 20 health problems often reported in the aftermath of disasters and environmental incidents. Results were stratified by age (ie, 0-4, 5-14, and 15-24 years), sex, and region (province). Weekly prevalence rates were calculated as the number of persons consulting their general practitioner in a particular week, using the number of enlisted persons as the denominator. Findings were compared to quarterly survey panel data, collected in the context of the Integrated Health Monitor COVID-19, and the Dutch stringency index values, indicative of the intensity of COVID-19 mitigation measures.
Over time, weekly rates pointed to an increased number of consultations for depressive feelings and suicide (attempts) among youth, during and after periods with intensified domestic restrictions.
The results illustrate how, from a disaster health research perspective based on the COVID-19 pandemic, health consequences of pandemics could be successfully followed over time using an existing infrastructure for syndromic surveillance and monitoring. Particular areas of health concern can be defined beforehand, and may be modified or expanded during the monitoring activities to track relevant developments. Although an association between patterns and changes in the strictness of mitigation measures might seem probable, claims about causality should be made with caution.
COVID-19 大流行挑战了全球社会。为限制 SARS-CoV-2 感染人数而实施的缓解措施导致了意想不到的健康影响。
本研究旨在展示在首次季度横断面监测周期中，在初级保健中使用现有的综合征监测系统，以监测自 2021 年 8 月以来荷兰青年在初级保健中出现的健康问题。
对 Nivel 初级保健数据库监测系统的汇总数据进行季度分析，以监测 20 种经常在灾害和环境事件后报告的健康问题。结果按年龄（即 0-4 岁、5-14 岁和 15-24 岁）、性别和地区（省）分层。每周患病率计算为特定周内咨询全科医生的人数，以登记人数为分母。研究结果与在综合健康监测 COVID-19 背景下收集的季度调查小组数据以及代表 COVID-19 缓解措施强度的荷兰严格指数值进行了比较。
随着时间的推移，每周的就诊率表明，在国内限制措施加强期间和之后，年轻人的抑郁情绪和自杀（企图）咨询人数有所增加。
这些结果说明了如何从基于 COVID-19 大流行的灾害健康研究角度出发，使用现有的综合征监测和监测基础设施，成功地随着时间的推移跟踪大流行的健康后果。可以事先确定特定的健康关注领域，并在监测活动中进行修改或扩展，以跟踪相关的发展。尽管模式之间以及缓解措施严格程度变化之间的关联似乎是可能的，但关于因果关系的说法应谨慎提出。
