Changes in the use and uptake of a national out-of-hours telephone triage service by younger and older patients seeking non-urgent unplanned care surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic in Flanders (Belgium).
Acta Clin Belg
; : 1-9, 2022 May 03.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2264077
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
This study seeks to examine if and how the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted changes in the use and uptake of a national out-of-hours (OOH) telephone triage service by younger and older patients seeking non-urgent unplanned care in Flanders (Belgium).METHODS:
A descriptive study was conducted using registry data obtained from the 1733 OOH telephone triage service in a Flemish region of Belgium. All calls received between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2020 were analyzed.RESULTS:
A significant association was found between patient age and period of call (χ2 = 594.54, p < .001). Calls made to the 1733 OOH telephone triage service were significantly less likely to be dispatched to a higher level of urgency by operators compared to calls made before the COVID-19 period (OR = 0.80, 95% CI [0.74-0.85]). While calls concerning older adults were significantly more likely to be dispatched to a higher level of urgency by operators compared to younger adults (regardless of period of call) (65 to 74 yrs OR = 5.75, 95% CI [4.86-6.80]; 75 to 84 yrs OR = 15.21, 95% CI [13.18-17.56]; ≥ 85 yrs OR = 28.77, 95% CI [25.01-33.09]), only 6.7% of all COVID-19 related calls involved older adults over 65 years of age.CONCLUSION:
Findings showed that there was a general decline in the number of calls dispatched to a higher level of urgency by operators during the COVID-19 period but that there were differences in the use and uptake of these services by younger and older age segments.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Language:
English
Journal:
Acta Clin Belg
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
17843286.2022.2068296
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