Impact of Pandemic on Women Health Indicators in a Tertiary Health Centre of Bihar

Abstract

BACKGROUND This study was conducted to analyse the impact of pandemic on healthcare, evaluate the negative psychological behaviour towards health professionals and study the effect of Covid-19 infection on hospital avoiding attitude of female patients. METHODS This was a case-control study conducted in Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Patna Medical College and Hospital, Patna, Bihar. Study period was from 01st April 2020 to 30th September 2020. All the patients except Covid-19 positive cases, coming to Gynaecology Outpatient Department (GOPD), antenatal care (ANC) and labour room emergency (LRE) were included in the study. Patients who were seen from April 2019 to September 2019, total of 20,961 were in ‟pre Covid-19ˮ control group, while patients seen from April 2020 to September 2020, a total of 8,859 were in ‟during Covid-19” case group. Records of all health parameters for patients were reviewed, and then divided into two groups as patient input indicators and healthcare efficiency indicators. Number of patients visiting GOPD, ANC and admitted in LRE comprised patient input indicators (implying hospital avoiding attitude) while delivery rate, dilation and evacuation (D & E) rate, stillbirth rate and mortality rate comprised healthcare efficiency indicators. RESULTS Overall patients visiting the hospital dropped down from 21,361 to 8859 (by 58.5 %); GOPD patients reduced by 74 % while total ANC patients reduced by 44 %; and total LRE admissions reduced by 35.3 %. CONCLUSIONS Despite increased health professionals (workdays) per patient in LRE, mortality rate and still birth rate increased by 60.2 % and 23 % respectively indicating worsening of efficiency which is direct hidden negative psychological impact of pandemic immediately calling for the need of positive counselling and proper psychiatric care of both the health professionals and patients. KEY WORDS Covid-19, Pandemic, Still Birth Rate