Increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 death among older patients at long-term care hospitals in Korea
IntroductionLong-term care hospitals are known to be vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection and death given their numerous older chronic disease patients. However, the actual effect of long-term care hospital admission is not well known in Korea; hence, this study sought to analyze the effect of long-te...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1235745/full |
| _version_ | 1797773122701623296 |
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| author | Jeong-Yeon Seon Sunjea Kim Min Kyoung Lim In-Hwan Oh |
| author_facet | Jeong-Yeon Seon Sunjea Kim Min Kyoung Lim In-Hwan Oh |
| author_sort | Jeong-Yeon Seon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionLong-term care hospitals are known to be vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection and death given their numerous older chronic disease patients. However, the actual effect of long-term care hospital admission is not well known in Korea; hence, this study sought to analyze the effect of long-term care hospitalization on SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 death by correcting for patients’ characteristics.MethodsThis cross-sectional study used the data from K-COV-N cohort, which is linked to the National Health Insurance Service and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency; it analyzed 70,373 individuals aged ≥60 years, who had been tested for COVID-19 between January 1 and May 30, 2020 (KDCA-NHIS-2020-1-601). Patients admitted to a long-term care hospital were defined as those with a confirmed history of hospitalization within 30 days of the COVID-19 testing date. The final data analysis was performed in December 2022. Logistic regression analysis of the national data was employed to determine the association between long-term care hospital admission, the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and death from COVID-19. The odds ratios for SARS-CoV-2 infection and death from COVID-19 were calculated by adjusting for sex, age, residential area, health insurance premium, disability, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index.ResultsOlder patients at long-term care hospitals had a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR:2.91, 95% CI:2.33–3.64) and death from COVID-19 (OR:3.58, 95% CI:2.13–6.02). A difference in SARS-CoV-2 infection risk was observed based on residential area, health insurance premium (economic level), and disability; no difference was observed for COVID-19 mortality risk.DiscussionAdmission to a long-term care hospital itself could be a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection and the consequent high mortality risk after adjusting for sex, age, disability, and comorbidities. Patients are at high risk of infection through contact with workers, leading to death; therefore, quarantine policies for workers must be strengthened. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:00:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1bd0ae679fb04cda84dda3a7a4c6ea66 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:00:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-1bd0ae679fb04cda84dda3a7a4c6ea662023-07-25T07:40:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652023-07-011110.3389/fpubh.2023.12357451235745Increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 death among older patients at long-term care hospitals in KoreaJeong-Yeon Seon0Sunjea Kim1Min Kyoung Lim2In-Hwan Oh3Health Insurance Research Institute, National Health Insurance Service, Wonju, Republic of KoreaHealth Insurance Research Institute, National Health Insurance Service, Wonju, Republic of KoreaHealth Insurance Research Institute, National Health Insurance Service, Wonju, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of KoreaIntroductionLong-term care hospitals are known to be vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection and death given their numerous older chronic disease patients. However, the actual effect of long-term care hospital admission is not well known in Korea; hence, this study sought to analyze the effect of long-term care hospitalization on SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 death by correcting for patients’ characteristics.MethodsThis cross-sectional study used the data from K-COV-N cohort, which is linked to the National Health Insurance Service and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency; it analyzed 70,373 individuals aged ≥60 years, who had been tested for COVID-19 between January 1 and May 30, 2020 (KDCA-NHIS-2020-1-601). Patients admitted to a long-term care hospital were defined as those with a confirmed history of hospitalization within 30 days of the COVID-19 testing date. The final data analysis was performed in December 2022. Logistic regression analysis of the national data was employed to determine the association between long-term care hospital admission, the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and death from COVID-19. The odds ratios for SARS-CoV-2 infection and death from COVID-19 were calculated by adjusting for sex, age, residential area, health insurance premium, disability, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index.ResultsOlder patients at long-term care hospitals had a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR:2.91, 95% CI:2.33–3.64) and death from COVID-19 (OR:3.58, 95% CI:2.13–6.02). A difference in SARS-CoV-2 infection risk was observed based on residential area, health insurance premium (economic level), and disability; no difference was observed for COVID-19 mortality risk.DiscussionAdmission to a long-term care hospital itself could be a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection and the consequent high mortality risk after adjusting for sex, age, disability, and comorbidities. Patients are at high risk of infection through contact with workers, leading to death; therefore, quarantine policies for workers must be strengthened.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1235745/fullolder patientslong-term care hospitalCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2infectionmortality |
| spellingShingle | Jeong-Yeon Seon Sunjea Kim Min Kyoung Lim In-Hwan Oh Increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 death among older patients at long-term care hospitals in Korea Frontiers in Public Health older patients long-term care hospital COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 infection mortality |
| title | Increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 death among older patients at long-term care hospitals in Korea |
| title_full | Increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 death among older patients at long-term care hospitals in Korea |
| title_fullStr | Increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 death among older patients at long-term care hospitals in Korea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 death among older patients at long-term care hospitals in Korea |
| title_short | Increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 death among older patients at long-term care hospitals in Korea |
| title_sort | increased risk of sars cov 2 infection and covid 19 death among older patients at long term care hospitals in korea |
| topic | older patients long-term care hospital COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 infection mortality |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1235745/full |
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