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Early Data on Predictors of COVID-19 Treatment Frequency at Community Health Centers.
Goldstein, Evan V; Seiber, Eric E.
  • Goldstein EV; Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
  • Seiber EE; Division of Health Services Managment & Policy, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
J Prim Care Community Health ; 12: 21501319211069473, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1593650
ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION:

Federally-funded community health centers (CHCs) serve on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing essential COVID-19 testing and care for vulnerable patient populations. Overlooked in the scholarly literature is a description of how different characteristics and vulnerabilities shaped COVID-19 care delivery at CHCs in the first year of the pandemic. Our research objective was to identify organization- and state-level factors associated with more or fewer COVID-19 care and testing visits at CHCs in 2020.

METHODS:

Multilevel random intercept regression models examined associations among organization and state-level predictor variables and the frequency of COVID-19 care and testing visits at CHCs in 2020. The study sample included 1267 CHCs across the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

RESULTS:

The average CHC provided 932 patient visits for COVID-19-related care in 2020. Yet, the CHC's role in delivering COVID-19 services proved as diverse as the populations and localities CHCs serve. For example, after adjusting for other factors, each percentage-point increase in a CHC's Hispanic patient population size was associated with a 1.3% increase in the frequency of patient visits for COVID-19 care in 2020 (P < .001). Serving a predominantly rural patient population was associated with providing significantly fewer COVID-19-related care visits (P = .002). Operating in a state that enacted a mask-wearing policy in 2020 was associated with a 26.2% lower frequency of COVID-19 testing visits at CHCs in 2020, compared to CHCs operating in states without mask-wearing policies (P = .055).

CONCLUSIONS:

In response to the pandemic, the federal government legislated funding to help CHCs address challenges associated with COVID-19 and provide services to medically-underserved patient populations. Policymakers will likely need to provide additional support to help CHCs address population-specific vulnerabilities affecting COVID-19 care and testing delivery, especially as highly contagious COVID-19 variants proliferate (eg, Delta and Omicron).
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Community Health Centers / COVID-19 Testing / COVID-19 Drug Treatment Type of study: Diagnostic study / Prognostic study / Randomized controlled trials Topics: Variants Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: J Prim Care Community Health Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: 21501319211069473

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Community Health Centers / COVID-19 Testing / COVID-19 Drug Treatment Type of study: Diagnostic study / Prognostic study / Randomized controlled trials Topics: Variants Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: J Prim Care Community Health Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: 21501319211069473