Course: Health Care Utilization in the 6 Months Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection
CME Credits: 1.00
Released: 2022-08-12
Key Points
Question Is SARS-CoV-2 associated with health care utilization 6 months after the acute stage of infection?Findings In this cohort study of 127,859 patients with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results matched to 127,859 patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 test results, health care utilization was elevated in patients with positive SARS-CoV-2 results 6 months after the acute infection. Other than COVID-19 and infectious disease sequelae, the most notable post–COVID-19 conditions associated with elevated health care utilization over 6 months included alopecia (hair loss), bronchitis, pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis, and dyspnea.
Meaning These findings suggest that health care systems should consider long-term strategic resource allocation in response to the expected elevated health care utilization experienced by patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection for at least 6 months following the acute stage of infection.
Abstract
Importance After SARS-CoV-2 infection, many patients present with persistent symptoms for at least 6 months, collectively termed post-COVID conditions (PCC). However, the impact of PCC on health care utilization has not been well described.Objectives To estimate COVID-19–associated excess health care utilization following acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and describe utilization for select PCCs among patients who had positive SARS-CoV-2 test results (including reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and antigen tests) compared with control patients whose results were negative.
Design, Setting, and Participants This matched retrospective cohort study included patients of all ages from 8 large integrated health care systems across the United States who completed a SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test during March 1 to November 1, 2020. Patients were matched on age, sex, race and ethnicity, site, and date of SARS-CoV-2 test and were followed-up for 6 months. Data were analyzed from March 18, 2021, to June 8, 2022.
Exposure SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Main Outcomes and Measures Ratios of rate ratios (RRRs) for COVID-19-associated health care utilization were calculated with a difference-in-difference analysis using Poisson regression models. RRRs were estimated overall, by health care setting, by select population characteristics, and by 44 PCCs. COVID-19–associated excess health care utilization was estimated by health care setting.
Results The final matched cohort included 127,859 patients with test results positive for SARS-CoV-2 and 127,859 patients with test results negative for SARS-CoV-2. The mean (SD) age of the study population was 41.2 (18.6) years, 68,696 patients in each group (53.7%) were female, and each group included 66,211 Hispanic patients (51.8%), 9122 non-Hispanic Asian patients (7.1%), 7983 non-Hispanic Black patients (6.2%), and 34,326 non-Hispanic White patients (26.9%). Overall, SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with a 4% increase in health care utilization over 6 months (RRR, 1.04 [95% CI, 1.03-1.05]), predominantly for virtual encounters (RRR, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.12-1.16]), followed by emergency department visits (RRR, 1.08 [95% CI, 1.04-1.12]). COVID-19–associated utilization for 18 PCCs remained elevated 6 months from the acute stage of infection, with the largest increase in COVID-19–associated utilization observed for infectious disease sequelae (RRR, 86.00 [95% CI, 5.07-1458.33]), COVID-19 (RRR, 19.47 [95% CI, 10.47-36.22]), alopecia (RRR, 2.52 [95% CI, 2.17-2.92]), bronchitis (RRR, 1.85 [95% CI, 1.62-2.12]), pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis (RRR, 1.74 [95% CI, 1.36-2.23]), and dyspnea (RRR, 1.73 [95% CI, 1.61-1.86]). In total, COVID-19-associated excess health care utilization amounted to an estimated 27,217 additional medical encounters over 6 months (212.9 [95% CI, 146.5-278.4] visits per 1000 patients).
Conclusions and Relevance This cohort study documented an excess health care burden of PCC in the 6 months after the acute stage of infection. As health care systems evolve during a highly dynamic and ongoing global pandemic, these data provide valuable evidence to inform long-term strategic resource allocation for patients previously infected with SARS-CoV-2.
Educational Objective
To identify the key insights or developments described in this article
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