Dataset Information

The differential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare utilization disruption for community-dwelling individuals with and without acquired brain injury.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To delineate healthcare disruption for individuals with (ABI) during the peak of the pandemic, and to understand the impact of healthcare disruption on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting

General community.

Participants

N=207. Volunteer sample of adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI, n=33), stroke (n=66), and healthy adults (n=108) with access to the internet and personal technology.

Interventions

NA.

Main outcome measures

NA.

Results

Participants with TBI and stroke reported high rates of disruption in care specific to their diagnosis (53-54.5%), while participants across all groups reported disruption for major medical care (ranging from 68.2-80%), general healthcare (ranging from 60.3-72.4%), and mental healthcare (ranging from 31.8-83.3%). During the pandemic, participants with TBI and stroke used telehealth for care specific to their diagnosis (40.9-42.4%), while all participants used telehealth for major medical care (ranging from 50-86.7%), general healthcare (ranging from 31.2-53.3%), and mental healthcare (ranging from 53.8-72.7%). Disruption in TBI/stroke care and type of ABI explained 27.1% of the variance in HRQoL scores (F (2, 95) = 16.82, p<.001, R² = 0.262), and disruption in mental healthcare explained 14.8% of the variance (F (1, 51) = 8.86, p = 0.004, R² = 0.148).

Conclusion

Individuals with and without ABI experienced pronounced disruption in healthcare utilization overall. However, individuals who experienced a disruption in care specific to TBI or mental healthcare were most vulnerable to decreased HRQoL. Telehealth was a viable alternative to in-person visits for individuals with and without ABI, but, limitations included difficulty with technology, difficulty with comprehensive exam, and decreased rapport with providers.

SUBMITTER: Kim GJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8677629 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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