Exploring the diverse factors influencing healthcare utilization during the COVID-19 crisis.

BACKGROUND

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented global health crisis, resulting in major disruptions to healthcare systems worldwide. The pandemic has also significantly reshaped healthcare utilization patterns. This study aimed to assess healthcare utilization during the three waves of COVID-19.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study involving 1,308 patients admitted to the COVID-19 care facility at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. The study analyzed healthcare utilization patterns during the first, second, and third waves of COVID-19, focusing on patient hospitalization duration across the three waves.

RESULTS

The hospitalization rate increased during the second wave compared to the first wave and subsequently declined in the third wave. Hospitalization durations varied significantly across the waves. In all three waves, 30% of the population was hospitalized for 0-5 days, 25.9% for 9-13 days, 24.08% for 6-8 days, and 19.5% of patients were hospitalized for more than 14 days. A -value of 0.032 indicated a statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay (LHS) across the three waves of COVID-19. A threshold p-value of 0.05 was used to assess healthcare utilization and to estimate future healthcare requirements for similar pandemic scenarios.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the dynamic nature of healthcare demands during pandemic waves and underscore the need for flexible healthcare systems capable of adapting to fluctuating patient loads. Proactive planning and resource allocation are crucial to managing future pandemics effectively.