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. 2022 Jan-Feb;20(1):63-68.
doi: 10.1370/afm.2731. Epub 2021 Sep 24.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Primary Health Care Disease Incidence Rates: 2017 to 2020

Antoni Sisó-Almirall  1   2   3 , Belchin Kostov  4   2   5 , Encarna Sánchez  4 , Jaume Benavent-Àreu  4   2 , Luís González de Paz  4   2
Affiliations

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Primary Health Care Disease Incidence Rates: 2017 to 2020

Antoni Sisó-Almirall et al. Ann Fam Med. 2022 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

We assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain on new cases of diseases and conditions commonly seen in primary care. In 2020, there were significant reductions from 2017-2019 in the annual incidences of hypertension (40% reduction), hypercholesterolemia (36%), type 2 diabetes (39%), chronic kidney disease (43%), ischemic heart disease (48%), benign prostatic hypertrophy (38%), osteoporosis (40%), hypothyroidism (46%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (50%), alcohol use disorder (46%), benign colon polyps and tumors (42%), and melanomas (45%). Prioritization of COVID-19 care changed the physician-patient relationship to the detriment of face-to-face scheduled visits for chronic disease detection and monitoring, which fell by almost 41%. To return to prepandemic levels of diagnosis and management of chronic diseases, primary health care services should reorganize and carry out specific actions for groups at higher risk.VISUAL ABSTRACTAnnals "Online First" article.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-Cov-2; chronic conditions; delivery of health care; health services accessibility; organizational change; pandemics; population health; primary care; telemedicine; underdiagnosis.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Trends in incidence rates of selected diseases and conditions commonly seen in primary care, 2017-2020.
Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Trends in incidence rates of selected diseases and conditions commonly seen in primary care, 2017-2020.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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