The effect of Covid-19 pandemic on the primary health care utilization and cost: an interrupted time series analysis.

IF 1.7 4区医学 Q3 HEALTH POLICY & SERVICES Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation Pub Date : 2025-02-12 DOI:10.1186/s12962-025-00606-y

Mohsen Bayati, Farhad Lotfi, Mehdi Bayati, Zahra Goudarzi

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Abstract

Background: Changes in the demand behavior for primary care during the covid-19 pandemic may translate into changes in the overall public health situation in Iran with the increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the primary health care utilization and cost in Fars province of Iran.

Methods: Monthly utilization and cost of primary health care was extracted from the data base of Fars province branch of Iran Health Insurance Organization (IHIO) in Iran. The interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) was used to investigate the short-term and long-term effects of Covid-19 on the utilization and cost of primary health care.

Results: The mean difference test showed that the monthly utilization and cost of primary health care after Covid-19 has decreased significantly (64307 for utilization and 11581 US dollars for cost). The ITSA estimates showed that the number of monthly primary health care visits after Covid-19 has decreased significantly by 53,003 in the short term and 2,330 in the long term. Moreover, the cost of primary health care shows a significant decrease of $24,722 and $3,822 per month in the short term and in the long term, respectively.

Conclusion: It found a significant reduction in the utilization of primary health care. Considering the role of primary care in controlling the burden of chronic diseases, planning for active follow-up of patients with chronic conditions should be on the agenda.

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来源期刊

Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation HEALTH POLICY & SERVICES-

CiteScore

3.40

自引率

4.30%

发文量

审稿时长

34 weeks

期刊介绍： Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation is an Open Access, peer-reviewed, online journal that considers manuscripts on all aspects of cost-effectiveness analysis, including conceptual or methodological work, economic evaluations, and policy analysis related to resource allocation at a national or international level. Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation is aimed at health economists, health services researchers, and policy-makers with an interest in enhancing the flow and transfer of knowledge relating to efficiency in the health sector. Manuscripts are encouraged from researchers based in low- and middle-income countries, with a view to increasing the international economic evidence base for health.