Clinical activity changes in the neurology department of Wenzhou during the COVID-19 pandemic: an observational analysis

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Outpatient Visits for All-Cause and Chronic Diseases in Korea: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

This study explores the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on outpatient visits for all-cause and chronic diseases in 2020. We extracted the data of patients who visited medical institutions over the past five years (2016-2020) from nationwide claims data and measured the number of monthly outpatient visits. A negative binomial regression model was fitted to monthly outpatient visits from 2016 to 2019 to estimate the numbers of 2020. The number of all-cause outpatient visits in 2020 was 12% lower than expected. However, this change was relatively stable in outpatient visits for chronic diseases, which was 2% lower than expected. Deficits in all-cause outpatient visits were observed in all months except January; however, deficits in outpatient visits for chronic diseases have rebounded since April 2020. The levels of change in healthcare utilization were observed differently among disease groups, which indicates that the impacts of the pandemic were disproportionate. This study calls for a policy response to emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, as the findings confirm that a health crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, could disrupt the healthcare system. Assessing the mid-to long-term impacts of COVID-19 on healthcare utilization and health consequences will require further research.

Increased Prevalence of Neuropsychiatric Disorders during COVID-19 Pandemic in People Needing a Non-Deferrable Neurological Evaluation

Background: The novel coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak provoked a profound healthcare system reorganization. This study aimed to compare the reasons for requesting a non-deferrable neurological evaluation before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the lockdown. Methods: Retrospective observational study including non-deferrable neurological outpatients before the pandemic (pre-COVID-19 group, n = 223) and during the Italian second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (LOCKDOWN group, n = 318). Results: The number of patients sent for cerebrovascular disorders, headache, and vertigo significantly dropped between the pre-COVID-19 era and the lockdown period. While in the pre-COVID-19 group, the most frequent diagnosis was cerebrovascular disorder; neuropsychiatric disorders ranked first in the LOCKDOWN group. Moreover, the percentage of appropriate non-deferrable neurological evaluations significantly increased in the LOCKDOWN group compared with the pre-COVID-19 group. Discussion: Our study shows a significant increase of neuropsychiatric disorders in non-deferrable neurologic evaluations during the Italian second wave of the COVID-19. Overall, cases were more severe and required a more complex management during the lockdown compared with the pre-COVID era. These findings confirm that a careful approach to prevent the psychological consequences of the pandemic is needed, and long-term rearrangements of the healthcare system are desirable to guarantee appropriate management.