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- Title
Changes in the Utilization of Health Care Services by Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
- Authors
Seung Hee Seo; Sooyoung Cho; Shin Hye Yoo; Bhumsuk Keam; Aesun Shin
- Abstract
Purpose: The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea elicited changes in healthcare service utilization. This study aimed to report changes in healthcare service utilization among cancer patients during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea. Materials and Methods: We analyzed records from National Health Insurance Service Database and identified cancer patients as those with specific beneficiary codes (“V193” or “V194”) assigned to cancer patients. We calculated percentage changes in the number of patients between 2019 and 2020 based on claims records for outpatient clinic visits, hospitalization, and emergency room visits by month, age group, residential areas, and hospital location. Results: The number of newly diagnosed cancer patients in 2020 decreased by 3.2%, compared to the previous year. The number of patients who visited an outpatient clinic, were hospitalized, and visited the emergency room decreased by 2.6%, 4.0%, and 3.5%, respectively, in 2020, compared to the year 2019. Conclusion: During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of newly diagnosed cancer patients decreased by 3.2%, compared to the previous year, and their utilization of healthcare services declined significantly after the outbreak of COVID-19.
- Subjects
SOUTH Korea; COVID-19; SERVICES for cancer patients; MEDICAL care; COVID-19 pandemic; NATIONAL health insurance; CANCER patient care
- Publication
Yonsei Medical Journal, 2023, Vol 64, Issue 7, p463
- ISSN
0513-5796
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3349/ymj.2023.0014