Patient-reported health outcomes of SARS-CoV-2–tested patients presenting to emergency departments : a propensity score–matched prospective cohort study

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2022.11.016

Language of the publication
English
Date
2023-02
Type
Article
Author(s)
  • Bola, R.
  • Sutherland, J.
  • Murphy, R. A.
  • Leeies, M.
  • Grant, L.
  • Hayward, J.
  • Archambault, P.
  • Graves, L.
  • Rose, T.
  • Hohl, C.
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Royal Society for Public Health

Abstract

Objective
This study aimed to compare the long-term physical and mental health outcomes of matched severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-positive and SARS-CoV-2–negative patients controlling for seasonal effects.

Study design
This was a retrospective cohort study.

Methods
This study enrolled patients presenting to emergency departments participating in the Canadian COVID-19 Emergency Department Rapid Response Network. We enrolled consecutive eligible consenting patients who presented between March 1, 2020, and July 14, 2021, and were tested for SARS-CoV-2. Research assistants randomly selected four site and date-matched SARS-CoV-2–negative controls for every SARS-CoV-2–positive patient and interviewed them at least 30 days after discharge. We used propensity scores to match patients by baseline characteristics and used linear regression to compare Veterans RAND 12-item physical health component score (PCS) and mental health component scores (MCS), with higher scores indicating better self-reported health.

Results
We included 1170 SARS-CoV-2–positive patients and 3716 test-negative controls. The adjusted mean difference for PCS was 0.50 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.36, 1.36) and -1.01 (95% CI: -1.91, -0.11) for MCS. Severe disease was strongly associated with worse PCS (β = −7.4; 95% CI: -9.8, -5.1), whereas prior mental health illness was strongly associated with worse MCS (β = −5.4; 95% CI: -6.3, -4.5).

Conclusion
Physical health, assessed by PCS, was similar between matched SARS-CoV-2–positive and SARS-CoV-2–negative patients, whereas mental health, assessed by MCS, was worse during a time when the public experienced barriers to care. These results may inform the development and prioritization of support programs for patients.

Subject

  • Health,
  • Coronavirus diseases

Rights

Pagination

1-11

Peer review

Yes

Identifiers

PubMed ID
36587446
ISSN
1476-5616

Article

Journal title
Public Health
Journal volume
215

Sponsors

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (447,679, 464,947, and 466,880), Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities (C-655-2129), Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (5357), Genome BC (COV024 and VAC007), Fondation du CHU de Québec (Octroi No. 4007), and Sero-Surveillance and Research (COVID-19 Immunity Task Force Initiative) provided peer-reviewed funding. The BC Academic Health Science Network and BioTalent Canada provided non–peer-reviewed funding.

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Communicable diseases

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