ArticleSN comprehensive clinical medicine2022
Prioritizing Elective Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Caused Age-Related Inequality: a Multicenter Study.
Article in SN comprehensive clinical medicine, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Conceptualizing surgical ageism to address age-based discrimination.Updates in surgery · 2026Review
- Ten-Year Trends in Otolaryngological Surgery Volumes and the Impact of Infection Prevention During the COVID-19 Pandemic-A National Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Article
- Developing a fast-track discharge protocol for patients with cerebral aneurysms treated via neuroendovascular techniques.Interventional neuroradiology : journal of peritherapeutic neuroradiology, surgical procedures and related neurosciences · 2024Article
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on neurosurgery in the elderly population in Sweden.BMC public health · 2024Observational
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4 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
The concern has been that this prioritization has resulted in age-related inequality between patients, with the older population suffering the most. The aim of this multicenter study was to examine the differences in incidence and waiting times of elective surgeries by age during the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Finland. Data on elective surgery (88 716 operations) were gathered from three Finnish public hospitals for the years 2017-2020. Surgery incidence and waiting times stratified by age groups (younger than 18, 18 to 49, 50 to 69, and 70 or older) were examined, and the year 2020 was compared to the reference years 2017-2019. The mean annual, monthly, and weekly waiting times were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The first COVID-19 wave decreased surgery incidence most prominently in patients younger than 18 (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.64, CI 0.60-0.68) and 70 or older (IRR 0.68, CI 0.66-0.70). After the first wave, the incidence increased in patients aged 50 to 69 and 70 or older by 22% and 29%, respectively. Among patients younger than 18, the incidence in 2020 was 15% lower. In patients younger than 18, waiting times were at mean of 43% longer in June to December compared to the reference years. In patients aged 18 to 49, 50 to 69, and 70 or older, waiting times increased in May but recovered to normal level during fall 2020. COVID-19 decreased the incidence of surgery and led to increased waiting times. Clearing of the treatment backlog started with older patients which resulted in prolonged waiting times among pediatric patients.
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