The effect of Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare utilization in public vs private centers in Iran: a multiple group interrupted time-series analysis
Abstract Background The outbreak of Coronavirus in late 2019 and its continuation in the following years has affected all human societies, government organizations, and health systems. Access to health services is an important issue during crises. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09846-1 |
| _version_ | 1797752808675475456 |
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| author | Zohreh Rezaei Farhad Lotfi Mohsen Bayati Zahra Kavosi |
| author_facet | Zohreh Rezaei Farhad Lotfi Mohsen Bayati Zahra Kavosi |
| author_sort | Zohreh Rezaei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The outbreak of Coronavirus in late 2019 and its continuation in the following years has affected all human societies, government organizations, and health systems. Access to health services is an important issue during crises. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the consumption of health services in the public sector compared to the private sector in Iran. Methods The research population consisted of all insured individuals covered by Iran Health Insurance Organization in Fars province, which amounts to approximately 2,700,000 people. The required information including the utilization of laboratory, radiology, medicine, and hospitalization services was extracted on a monthly basis from February 2019 to February 2021. The Multiple Group Interrupted Time Series Analysis (MGITSA) was used for data analysis along with STATA.15 software. Results According to the findings of MGITSA, in the short-term, the utilization of private laboratory, radiology, medication, and hospital admissions had decreased by approximately 18,066, 8210, 135,445, and 1086 times, respectively (P < 0.05). In the long-run, the use of laboratory and radiology services had increased by about 2312 and 514 times (P < 0.05), respectively. The comparison between the public and private sectors showed that in the short-term, the use of radiology services decreased by about 12,525, while the use of medication increased by about 91,471 times (P < 0.05). In the long-run, the use of laboratory services decreased by about 1514 times (P = 0.076) and no change was observed in the other services utilization (in public relative to private centers). Conclusions Utilization of health services in the public versus private centers, except for medication and hospitalization, significantly decreased in the short-term. However the utilization of most services returned to the usual trend in the long-term. The reduction in access to health services could impose a significant burden of various diseases, at least in the short-term, and increase health costs in the coming years. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T17:09:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f9a1f4b4f6294590ab462bb5ad01793b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T17:09:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-f9a1f4b4f6294590ab462bb5ad01793b2023-08-06T11:10:28ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632023-08-0123111210.1186/s12913-023-09846-1The effect of Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare utilization in public vs private centers in Iran: a multiple group interrupted time-series analysisZohreh Rezaei0Farhad Lotfi1Mohsen Bayati2Zahra Kavosi3Student Research Committee, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical SciencesHealth Human Resources Research Center, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical SciencesHealth Human Resources Research Center, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical SciencesHealth Human Resources Research Center, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical SciencesAbstract Background The outbreak of Coronavirus in late 2019 and its continuation in the following years has affected all human societies, government organizations, and health systems. Access to health services is an important issue during crises. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the consumption of health services in the public sector compared to the private sector in Iran. Methods The research population consisted of all insured individuals covered by Iran Health Insurance Organization in Fars province, which amounts to approximately 2,700,000 people. The required information including the utilization of laboratory, radiology, medicine, and hospitalization services was extracted on a monthly basis from February 2019 to February 2021. The Multiple Group Interrupted Time Series Analysis (MGITSA) was used for data analysis along with STATA.15 software. Results According to the findings of MGITSA, in the short-term, the utilization of private laboratory, radiology, medication, and hospital admissions had decreased by approximately 18,066, 8210, 135,445, and 1086 times, respectively (P < 0.05). In the long-run, the use of laboratory and radiology services had increased by about 2312 and 514 times (P < 0.05), respectively. The comparison between the public and private sectors showed that in the short-term, the use of radiology services decreased by about 12,525, while the use of medication increased by about 91,471 times (P < 0.05). In the long-run, the use of laboratory services decreased by about 1514 times (P = 0.076) and no change was observed in the other services utilization (in public relative to private centers). Conclusions Utilization of health services in the public versus private centers, except for medication and hospitalization, significantly decreased in the short-term. However the utilization of most services returned to the usual trend in the long-term. The reduction in access to health services could impose a significant burden of various diseases, at least in the short-term, and increase health costs in the coming years.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09846-1Covid-19UtilizationTime-Series AnalysisAccessPandemicHealthcare |
| spellingShingle | Zohreh Rezaei Farhad Lotfi Mohsen Bayati Zahra Kavosi The effect of Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare utilization in public vs private centers in Iran: a multiple group interrupted time-series analysis BMC Health Services Research Covid-19 Utilization Time-Series Analysis Access Pandemic Healthcare |
| title | The effect of Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare utilization in public vs private centers in Iran: a multiple group interrupted time-series analysis |
| title_full | The effect of Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare utilization in public vs private centers in Iran: a multiple group interrupted time-series analysis |
| title_fullStr | The effect of Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare utilization in public vs private centers in Iran: a multiple group interrupted time-series analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare utilization in public vs private centers in Iran: a multiple group interrupted time-series analysis |
| title_short | The effect of Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare utilization in public vs private centers in Iran: a multiple group interrupted time-series analysis |
| title_sort | effect of covid 19 pandemic on healthcare utilization in public vs private centers in iran a multiple group interrupted time series analysis |
| topic | Covid-19 Utilization Time-Series Analysis Access Pandemic Healthcare |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09846-1 |
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