J Korean Med Sci.  2021 Jan;36(1):e11. 10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e11.

Pediatric Emergency Department Utilization and Coronavirus Disease in Daegu, Korea

• Jang KM
• Ahn JY
• Choi HJ
• Lee S
• Kim D
• Lee DW
• Choe JY

• KMID: 2510379
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e11

Abstract

Background
Limited data exist on children's utilization of the emergency department (ED) in the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Thus, we aimed to examine ED utilization among pediatric patients and the impact of COVID-19 in one large city affected by the outbreak.
Methods
This retrospective study included data from six EDs in Daegu, Korea. We compared the demographic and clinical data of patients presenting to the ED during the COVID-19 pandemic (February 1st–June 30th 2020) with those of patients who visited the ED in this period during 2018 and 2019.
Results
Fewer patients, particularly children visited the EDs during the study period in 2020 than those in the previous (2018/2019) year period: the number of adult patient decreased by 46.4% and children by 76.9%. Although the number of patients increased from the lowest point of the decrease in March 2020, the number of pediatric patients visiting the ED remained less than half (45.2%) in June 2020 compared with that of previous years. The proportion of patients with severe conditions increased in adults, infants, and school-aged children, and consequently resulted in increased ambulance use and higher hospitalization rates. Fewer infants and young children but more school-aged children visited the ED with febrile illnesses in 2020 than in 2018/2019.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a substantial decrease in pediatric ED utilization. These findings can help reallocate human and material resources in the EDs during infectious disease outbreaks.

Keyword

COVID-19; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2; Children; Emergency Department

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Number of adult and pediatric emergency department visits per month from 2018 to 2020.

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  Fig. 2 Percentages of adult and pediatric emergency department visits compared with those in the previous two years.

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  Fig. 3 Total number of confirmed cases in Korea and Daegu and numbers of ED visits.ED = emergency department.

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