Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Hospital Visits of Rural Residents in Guangdong, China: A Controlled Interrupted Time Series Study.

ABSTRACT: To date, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the healthcare-seeking behavior and utilization of health services in rural areas where healthcare resources are scarce. We aimed to quantify the long-term impact of COVID-19 on hospital visits of rural residents in China. We collected data on the hospitalization of all residents covered by national health insurance schemes in a county in southern China from April 2017 to March 2021. We analyzed changes in residents' hospitalization visits in different areas, i.e., within-county, out-of-county but within-city, and out-of-city, via a controlled interrupted time series approach. Subgroup analyses based on gender, age, hospital levels, and ICD-10 classifications for hospital

SUBMITTER: Zhong W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9603214 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature