Trends in emergency department visits for emergency care-sensitive conditions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide study in Korea, 2019-2021.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Emergency care systems worldwide have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the trend of emergency department (ED) visits for emergency care-sensitive conditions (ECSCs) in Korea before and during the pandemic.

Methods

We performed a longitudinal study using the national ED database in Korea from January 2019 to December 2021. We calculated the number and incidence rate of visits for ECSCs per 100,000 ED visits, and the incidence rate ratio of 2021 relative to the value in 2019. The selected ECSCs were intracranial injury, ischemic heart disease, stroke, and cardiac arrest.

Results

The number of ED visits for all causes decreased by about 23% during the pandemic. The number of ED visits for intracranial injuries decrea

SUBMITTER: Kim S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11009707 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature