The Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Using CTS and MRI in Iran: Evidence from an Interrupted Time Series Analysis

Abstract

Background: There is limited available evidence regarding the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of medical technology in Iran. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the usage of MRI and CTS in the west of Iran. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on collected data regarding the usage of MRI and CTS for 58 months from the health information systems of public hospitals in Kermanshah province (36 months before and 22 months after the pandemic). An interrupted time series analysis with segmented regression was used to assess the effect of the pandemic on the use of MRI and CTS. The population data were also obtained from the Statistics Centre of Iran (SCI). Results: After the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant increase (67.1%) in the use of CTS, while MRI decreased by 50.8%. In the first month of the pandemic, there was a reduction (14%) in using CTS and a significant decrease (81%) in using MRI compared to the pre-COVID-19 baseline level. However, after the initial reduction, there were significant increases in the use of CTS (20.4 per 100,000 population) and MRI (0.21 per 100,000 population) every month during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Based on the results, there was an increase in the use of CT scans and a decrease in the use of MRI after the pandemic, consistent with previous studies in other countries. Further studies are required to analyze the factors affecting the use of healthcare services during crises to improve preparedness for future pandemics.