Collaborative research led by Elisabeth McGowan, MD and Barry Lester, PhD, of Brown University and Monica McGrath, ScD, and Andrew Law, ScM, of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health examined healthcare use during the COVID-19 pandemic by children and adolescents born preterm.
The research, titled “Healthcare Utilization During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Individuals Born Preterm,” is published in JAMA Network Open.
This is one of the first studies to look at healthcare use during the COVID-19 pandemic by a high-risk population—children and adolescents who were born preterm (37 or fewer weeks after gestation). By looking for possible patterns of healthcare utilization, this study can help healthcare providers to improve care for patients in future pandemics or other public healthcare crises.
This study included data from 1,691 individuals ages 1–18 years, including 270 who were born preterm, 37 or fewer weeks of gestation. Among these participants, 159 were born at 28 or fewer weeks and were twice as likely to seek healthcare compared to those born at term.
Between April 2020 and August 2021, researchers collected caregiver- or self-reported questionnaires regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare use. The researchers studied healthcare use related to concerns about COVID-19 symptoms (like trouble breathing, fever, headache, muscle pain, fatigue, itchy eyes, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and loss of smell or taste) that resulted in overnight stays in hospitals, visits to urgent care centers or primary care offices, or virtual visits such as telehealth. Respiratory symptoms were the most common reason for seeking care for those children.
“Understanding the factors associated with both overall healthcare use and symptom-specific use may help healthcare providers identify the best strategies to provide targeted care,” said Dr. McGowan.
Further studies could evaluate the role socioeconomic factors may play in healthcare utilization.