Introduction The global COVID-19-pandemic influences people's health, both directly through infection and indirectly through the protective measures taken by governments. Previous experience with health research after disasters/crises are generally limited to short-lasting, local disasters with direct consequences for those affected. The COVID-19-pandemic has a different nature: influencing everyone and lasting a longer time. A longitudinal, wide-reaching research-approach is needed to study the health effects of COVID-19. Therefore, the Network GOR-COVID-19, a research group consisting of different organizations, started a monitor on the health effects of COVID-19. Methods The monitor consists of three main elements: yearly monitoring, quarterly monitoring and literature reviews. Where possible, existing data structures are used. For the quarterly monitoring, two data sources are used: general practitioners’ [GP] registry data and data gathered from panels. The GP data is used for weekly surveillance, giving insight into the prevalence of health symptoms presented to the GP. The panel data is used to gain insight into current self-reported health and wellbeing of people. For the yearly monitoring, two data sources are used. The first is GP data which gives information about the prevalence, incidence and development of symptoms, complaints and diagnoses. It allows for comparison over time and among different population groups. The second is the corona health monitor questionnaire, an existing questionnaire on health and well-being. Finally, literature reviews are conducted annually to create an overview of international and national research about the effects of the COVID-19-pandemic on health. Discussion Since most of our knowledge about the potential impact of the pandemic stems from research on short-term disasters, limited to specific places, this study is expected to provide valuable new insights.
Introduction:The COVID-19 pandemic and the countermeasures taken form a threat to the physical and mental health of the population, especially for more vulnerable groups. In this study, which is part of the Integrated Health Monitor COVID-19, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare use of the Dutch population and specific vulnerable groups was examined.Method:In this study two data-sources were combined. The first consists of electronic patient records of general practices (GP) participating in the Nivel Primary Care Database. These records are representative of the Dutch population and provide insight into acute complaints, chronic conditions, medication prescriptions and primary care use. For the current study, primary care use in pre-COVID years (2018 and 2019) was compared to that in 2021. This data was coupled with microdata from Statistics Netherlands, containing such information as socio-economic status and migration background. Analyses were conducted using longitudinal mixed-effects regression models.Results:Results show that risk factors play a role in the utilization of primary care. Women and those with a low household income visited the GP more often for mental complaints. Individuals with a migrant background visited the GP more often for coughing, fatigue, and social problems. Those with pre-existing chronic physical conditions were seen less often by their GP for shortness of breath. Among those with pre-existing mental problems GPs more often registered shortness of breath, yet less problems with access to care or social problems.Conclusion:Combining GP registry data with relevant background data has deepened our understanding of changes in health problems and healthcare use among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study provides insight into how specific vulnerable groups are affected more strongly, and emphasizes the importance of monitoring these groups during a health crisis.
Introduction:This contribution is based on the findings from a ‘living’ systematic literature review seeking to understand the short and long term health impact of the COVID-19-pandemic. Emphasis is placed on the prevalence and risk factors of trauma-related mental health outcomes in the context of the pandemic. Especially when it comes to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), it is questionable whether exposure types that are typical to the pandemic match the essence of the disorder. Our objective is to verify whether the international literature sufficiently distinguishes pandemic related exposure from other risk factors such as social demographic characteristics and non-pandemic related exposure to threats and life events.Method:This part of the ‘living’ systematic literature review is conducted under the umbrella of the Dutch Integrated Health Monitor COVID-19. In order to guide a research-driven data collection, several databases were searched for studies published during the pandemic. At the moment of abstract submission the protocol was published in Prospero and screening was in progress. Observational, quantitative studies including a specified exposure/event and a trauma-related mental health outcome measure are included. The included studies will be categorized based on type of exposure/event. Pooled prevalence will be calculated if studies are sufficiently homogeneous.Results:In progress.Conclusion:The results from this literature review are likely going to confirm that a substantial part of the international literature is polluted with studies promising to contain information on PTSD and other trauma-related health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet running short of linking symptomatology to particular types of exposure and risk factors. If this is the case, a risk exists that public health authorities are being recommended to apply preventive and curative trauma-focused interventions based on an ambiguous knowledge base. The results will be presented during the conference.
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