General practice service use at the end-of-life before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based cohort study using primary care electronic health records

• DOI: 10.3399/bjgpo.2023.0108
• Publication Date: 2023-11-22T15:40:16Z
• Authors: Emeka Chukwusa; Stephen Barclay; Martin Gulliford; Richard Harding; Irene Higginson; Julia Verne
• Keywords: Pandemic; Rate ratio; End-of-Life Care

Background Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented strain in healthcare systems, but little is known about how it affected patients requiring palliative and end-of-life care from GPs. Aim To evaluate impact of on primary service use last 3 months life, including consultations prescribing, to identify associated factors. Design setting A retrospective cohort study UK, using data Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Method The included those who died between 2019 2020. Poisson regression models generalised estimation equations were used examine association patient characteristics. Adjusted rate ratios (aRRs) 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) estimated. Results total 44 534 during period. period was with an 8.9% increase 966.4 1052.9 per 1000 person-months, 14.3% longer telephone consultation duration (from 10.1 11.5 minutes), a switch face-to-face or video consultations. prescription medications increased by 6.3%, 1313.7 1396.3 person-months. adjusted for (aRR = 1.08, CI 1.06 1.10, P <0.001) prescriptions 1.05: 1.03 1.07, also pandemic. Conclusion had major GP use, leading consultations, shifts prescriptions. workload-related issues must be addressed urgently ease pressure