UNSPECIFIED (Ed).
(2021)
Changes in hospital contacts during the COVID-19 pandemic among vulnerable children and young people.
NIHR Children and Families Policy Research Unit: London, UK.
Preview |
Text
Etoori_SRS13329 Changes in hospital contacts FULL REPORT.pdf Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Why we did this study: Children and young people have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through unprecedented disruptions to hospital health services and it is likely that vulnerable groups have been more affected than other children. This study aimed to assess changes in hospital contacts during the pandemic among vulnerable children and young people in England compared to their peers.// What we did: We used linked administrative data in the ECHILD Database (1) to look at changes in the rates and numbers of hospital contacts that were planned (outpatient attendances and planned hospital admissions) and unplanned (unplanned hospital admissions) during the first nine months of the pandemic. We compared vulnerable children with their peers in two example groups: children aged 0 to 4 years who were born too early or too small or had a chronic condition; and secondary school pupils who received special educational needs support or children’s social care services. We also looked at whether vulnerable children were more or less likely than their peers to have face-to-face outpatient care during the pandemic.// What we found out: • Vulnerable children bore large and disproportionate deficits in hospital contacts during the first nine months of the pandemic. These deficits were greatest for children with multiple vulnerabilities. • As the pandemic progressed, we observed some ‘catch-up’ in planned hospital admissions for children aged 0 to 4 years and in outpatient attendances for infants. • Vulnerable children were less likely than their peers to have face-to-face outpatient care during the pandemic.
Loading...
Loading...Loading...Loading...Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
