IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON TRENDS IN DETECTION OF PATIENTS WITH ACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/1681-2786.2023.4.14420Keywords:
tuberculosis, COVID-19 pandemic, war, adults, children, quarantine, restrictions on access to health careAbstract
Purpose: to analyze the trends in the number of tuberculosis patients among the population of Ukraine for the five-year period from 2018 to 2022.
Materials and Methods. The study used the information database of the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine on the number of patients with a newly diagnosed active tuberculosis for the period 2018–2022 (Form 33 “Report on patients with tuberculosis”). The statistical method of research and the method of systematic analysis were used.
Results. It was found that the number of patients with a first-time diagnosis of active tuberculosis decreased by 29.4 % in the period 2018–2022, the largest decrease occurred in 2020 (by 32.9 %). The decrease occurred both among adults and children. The significant decline in 2020 was due to quarantine restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited access to health care.
In 2022, the situation with the detection of patients with active tuberculosis slightly improved. However, in Kirovohrad region, there was a 5.6-fold increase in the number of children diagnosed with active tuberculosis for the first time in their lives, indicating an unfavorable epidemiological situation with active tuberculosis in this region.
In the context of a full-scale war, unfavorable conditions in access to health care remain, which are associated with migration processes, destruction of health care facilities, and disruption of communication with family doctors.
Conclusions. A significant decrease in the number of patients with newly diagnosed active tuberculosis in 2020 was found, which is associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Prolonged quarantine measures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have led to restrictions in access to primary and specialized medical care. This situation can potentially lead to the accumulation of undiagnosed and latent cases of tuberculosis, which can be detected at later stages and in more severe forms.
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