In:
PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science (PLoS), Vol. 16, No. 10 ( 2021-10-14), p. e0258478-
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of individual infection control measures and physical distancing on pediatric medical care in a local prefecture in Japan, where the incidence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in pediatric patients was extremely low. We extracted data from hospital records on the number of outpatients, inpatients, infectious disease consultations, and consultations for representative pediatric diseases. We compared attendance in 2017–2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, with 2020, when COVID-19 spread to Japan. There were no COVID-19 patients in the pediatric department during the study period. The total number outpatient visits decreased by 24.4%, and the number of hospital admissions, excluding neonatal care unit admissions, decreased by approximately 35%. There was a marked reduction in the number of hospitalizations for infectious diseases such as influenza (−74.8%) and respiratory syncytial virus infection (−93.5%), and the number of hospitalizations for bronchitis/pneumonia, Kawasaki disease, and bronchial asthma decreased. In contrast, the number of clinical psychological interventions and cases reported to the child guidance center increased. In the context of pandemic infectious diseases, it is important to control the spread of problematic infectious diseases by individual infection control measures and physical distancing. However, it is necessary to maintain social life as much as possible for the mental health and physical development of children.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1932-6203
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.g001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.g002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.g003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.t001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.t002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.t003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.t004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.t005
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.s001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.s002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.s003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.s004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.s005
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.s006
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.s007
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0258478.s008
Language:
English
Publisher:
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Publication Date:
2021
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2267670-3
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