RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Dutch GP healthcare consumption in COVID-19 heterogeneous regions: an interregional time-series approach in 2020–2021
JF BJGP Open
JO BJGP Open
FD Royal College of General Practitioners
SP BJGPO.2023.0121
DO 10.3399/BJGPO.2023.0121
VO 8
IS 2
A1 Homburg, Maarten
A1 Berger, Marjolein
A1 Berends, Matthijs
A1 Meijer, Eline
A1 Kupers, Thijmen
A1 Ramerman, Lotte
A1 Rijpkema, Corinne
A1 de Schepper, Evelien
A1 olde Hartman, Tim
A1 Muris, Jean
A1 Verheij, Robert
A1 Peters, Lilian
YR 2024
UL http://bjgpopen.org/content/8/2/BJGPO.2023.0121.abstract
AB Background Many countries observed a sharp decline in the use of general practice services after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research has not yet considered how changes in healthcare consumption varied among regions with the same restrictive measures but different COVID-19 prevalence.Aim To investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic affected healthcare consumption in Dutch general practice during 2020 and 2021, among regions with known heterogeneity in COVID-19 prevalence, from a pre-pandemic baseline in 2019.Design & setting Population-based cohort study using electronic health records. The study was undertaken in Dutch general practices involved in regional research networks.Method An interrupted time-series analysis of changes in healthcare consumption from before to during the pandemic was performed. Descriptive statistics were used on the number of potential COVID-19-related contacts, reason for contact, and type of contact.Results The study covered 3 595 802 contacts (425 639 patients), 3 506 637 contacts (433 340 patients), and 4 105 413 contacts (434 872 patients) in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. Time-series analysis revealed a significant decrease in healthcare consumption after the outbreak of the pandemic. Despite interregional heterogeneity in COVID-19 prevalence, healthcare consumption decreased comparably over time in the three regions, before rebounding to a level significantly higher than baseline in 2021. Physical consultations transitioned to phone or digital over time.Conclusion Healthcare consumption decreased irrespective of the regional prevalence of COVID-19 from the start of the pandemic, with the Delta variant triggering a further decrease. Overall, changes in care consumption appeared to reflect contextual factors and societal restrictions rather than infection rates.