Access to Health Care in the COVID-19 Pandemic: How is Children’s Health Affected?

Abstract

COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. Due to the high contagiousness of the disease, changes have been made in the provision of health services all over the world, and health authorities have made calls to reduce hospital admissions except for urgent reasons. Access to non-COVID-19 healthcare services has declined sharply due to the restrictions imposed to prevent viral spread, fears about the uncertainty of the disease, the redirection of healthcare professionals to the follow-up, treatment and care of infected patients, the lack of personal protective equipment, and the financial difficulties brought on by the pandemic. The population most affected by this situation caused by COVID-19 has undoubtedly been children. Due to changes in health service delivery, maternal and child health services have been interrupted, and immunization rates have decreased greatly. The closure of outpatient clinics, inpatient services and the conversion of operating rooms to intensive care units in order to intervene with infected patients have caused delays in the diagnosis and treatment of acute or chronic diseases in children. Children with chronic diseases experienced shortages of drugs or medical equipment, and children who needed rehabilitation services could not receive supportive care. In addition, preventive mental health services could not be maintained with the closure of schools. Decreases in access to health services may have negative consequences on childhood mortality and morbidity all over the world, especially in low and middle-income countries. It is important to examine the data in the world in terms of maintaining the achievements for child health and planning health services in Turkey. Therefore, this review aimed to examine the effects of the decrease in access to health services on child health during the global epidemic process. 

Keywords

• COVID-19
• child
• health care access
• pandemic

COVID-19 Pandemisinde Sağlık Hizmetlerine Erişim: Çocuk Sağlığı Nasıl Etkilendi?

Abstract

COVID-19, Dünya Sağlık Örgütü tarafından 11 Mart 2020 tarihinde pandemi olarak ilan edilmiştir. Hastalığın yüksek bulaşıcılığı nedeniyle tüm dünyada sağlık hizmetleri sunumunda değişikliklere gidilmiş, sağlık otoriteleri acil nedenler dışında hastane başvurularının azaltılması çağrıları yapmıştır. Viral yayılımı önlemek için uygulanan kısıtlamalar, hastalığın belirsizliğine ilişkin korkular, sağlık profesyonellerinin enfekte hastaların takibi, tedavisi ve bakımına yönlendirilmesi, kişisel koruyucu ekipman eksikliği ve pandeminin getirdiği finansal zorluklar nedeniyle COVID-19 dışı sağlık hizmetlerine erişim oranlarında keskin bir düşüş yaşanmıştır. COVID-19’un neden olduğu bu durumdan en çok etkilenen popülasyon şüphesiz ki çocuklar olmuştur. Sağlık hizmeti sunumundaki değişiklikler nedeniyle ana-çocuk sağlığı hizmetleri sekteye uğramış, bağışıklama oranları büyük ölçüde azalmıştır. Enfekte hastalara müdahale edebilmek için polikliniklerin kapatılması, yataklı servisler ve ameliyathanelerin yoğun bakımlara dönüştürülmesi çocukların akut veya kronik hastalıklarının tanı ve tedavilerinde gecikmelere neden olmuştur. Kronik hastalığı olan çocuklar ilaç veya tıbbi ekipman sıkıntısı yaşamış, rehabilitasyon hizmetlerine ihtiyaç duyan çocuklar destekleyici bakım alamamışlardır. Ayrıca okulların kapatılmasıyla koruyucu ruh sağlığı hizmetleri sürdürüle- memiştir. Sağlık hizmetlerine erişim oranlarındaki azalmalar, başta düşük ve orta gelirli ülkeler olmak üzere tüm dünyada çocukluk çağı mortalite ve morbiditesi üzerinde olumsuz sonuçlar doğurabilir. Türkiye’de çocuk sağlığına yönelik kazanımların sürdürülmesi ve sağlık hizmetlerinin planlanması açısından dünyadaki verilerin incelenmesi önemlidir. Dolayısıyla bu derlemede, küresel salgın sürecinde sağlık hizmetlerine erişimdeki azalmanın çocuk sağlığı üzerindeki etkilerinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır

Keywords

• COVID-19
• çocuk
• sağlık hizmetlerine erişim
• pandemi

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