Impact of COVID-19 infection on social care use in people over 50 years of age: a matched cohort study in North-West London.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To estimate the impact of COVID-19 infection on the requirement for social care services among adults aged ≥50 years in North-West London.

Design

Population-based matched cohort study using linked routinely collected electronic social care, primary care and hospital records (the Discover dataset).

Setting

Approximately 4.7 million people with a general practitioner record in North-West London.

Participants

150 654 adults aged ≥50 years with a first diagnosis of COVID-19 between January 2020 and February 2023 and 547 704 propensity score matched comparators without a COVID-19 diagnosis during the same period.

Main outcome measures

Social care use and associated costs overall and by specific type (care home, domiciliary care, respite care, socia

SUBMITTER: Butfield R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12278131 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature