Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care delivery in a remote Aboriginal community
Yasuchiyo Hamilton A * , Alice Cairns B * and Rhondda Jones CA School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Southport, Qld, Australia.
B Australia Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, Murtupini Centre for Rural and Remote Health, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia.
C James Cook University, Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre, Townsville, Qld, Australia.
Australian Journal of Primary Health 29(5) 416-421 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY23026
Submitted: 20 February 2023 Accepted: 24 April 2023 Published: 19 May 2023
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted the delivery of primary health care internationally, particularly for the most marginalised groups. This project investigated the impact of the initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic on the delivery of primary health care in a remote First Nations community in Far North Queensland with a high chronic disease burden. There were no confirmed cases of COVID-19 circulating in the community at the time of the study. A comparison was conducted of patient numbers presenting to a local primary healthcare centre (PHCC) in the periods before, during and after the initial peak of Australian COVID-19 restrictions in 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. A significant proportional decrease was observed in the number of patients that presented from the target community during the initial restrictions. A sub-analysis of preventative services delivered to a defined high-risk group found that services delivered did not decrease to this particular group during the periods of interest. This study has highlighted that there is a risk of underutilisation of primary healthcare services during a health pandemic in remote settings. Strengthening the primary care system to adequately provide ongoing services during natural disasters requires further consideration to reduce the risk of long-term impacts of service disengagement.
Keywords: chronic disease management, community health, First Nations, Indigenous, pandemic, preventative health, public health services, rural health, telehealth, Torres Strait Islander.
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