Urology in the Time of Coronavirus: Reduced Access to Urgent and Emergent Urological Care during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak in Italy
- Creators
- Porreca A.
- Colicchia M.
- D'Agostino D.
- Amenta M.
- Corsaro A.
- Zaramella S.
- Zegna L.
- Gallo F.
- Schenone M.
- Bozzini G.
- Calori A.
- Pastore A. L.
- Al Salhi Y.
- Sciorio C.
- Spirito L.
- Varca V.
- Marenghi C.
- Greco F.
- Altieri V. M.
- Verze P.
- Barba C.
- Antonelli A.
- Cerruto M. A.
- Falabella R.
- Di Bello S.
- Leonardo C.
- Tufano A.
- Volpe A.
- Umari P.
- Parma P.
- Nidini M.
- Pini G.
- Borghesi M.
- Terrone C.
- Cacciamani G. E.
- Sighinolfi M. C.
- Busetto G. M.
- Wennberg A. M.
- Finocchiaro M.
- Falsaperla M.
- Oderda M.
- Ceruti C.
- Rocco B.
- Schiavina R.
- Bianchi L.
- Mari A.
- Di Maida F.
- Dalpiaz O.
- Celia A.
- Pirozzi M.
- Bove P.
- Iacovelli V.
- Cafarelli A.
- Cindolo L.
- Ferrari G.
- Gatti L.
- Pirola G.
- Annino F.
- Pucci L.
- Romagnoli D.
- Artibani W.
- Minervini A.
- Others:
- Porreca, A.
- Colicchia, M.
- D'Agostino, D.
- Amenta, M.
- Corsaro, A.
- Zaramella, S.
- Zegna, L.
- Gallo, F.
- Schenone, M.
- Bozzini, G.
- Calori, A.
- Pastore, A. L.
- Al Salhi, Y.
- Sciorio, C.
- Spirito, L.
- Varca, V.
- Marenghi, C.
- Greco, F.
- Altieri, V. M.
- Verze, P.
- Barba, C.
- Antonelli, A.
- Cerruto, M. A.
- Falabella, R.
- Di Bello, S.
- Leonardo, C.
- Tufano, A.
- Volpe, A.
- Umari, P.
- Parma, P.
- Nidini, M.
- Pini, G.
- Borghesi, M.
- Terrone, C.
- Cacciamani, G. E.
- Sighinolfi, M. C.
- Busetto, G. M.
- Wennberg, A. M.
- Finocchiaro, M.
- Falsaperla, M.
- Oderda, M.
- Ceruti, C.
- Rocco, B.
- Schiavina, R.
- Bianchi, L.
- Mari, A.
- Di Maida, F.
- Dalpiaz, O.
- Celia, A.
- Pirozzi, M.
- Bove, P.
- Iacovelli, V.
- Cafarelli, A.
- Cindolo, L.
- Ferrari, G.
- Gatti, L.
- Pirola, G.
- Annino, F.
- Pucci, L.
- Romagnoli, D.
- Artibani, W.
- Minervini, A.
Description
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has put a substantial burden on the Italian healthcare system, resulting in the restructuring of hospitals to care for COVID-19 patients. However, this has likely impacted access to care for patients experiencing other conditions. We aimed to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on access to care for patients with urgent/emergent urological conditions throughout Italy. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 33 urological units in the AGILE consortium, asking clinicians to report on the number of urgent/emergent urological patients seen and/or undergoing surgery over a 3-week period during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak and a reference week prior to the outbreak. ANOVA and linear regression models were used to quantify these changes. Results: Data from 27 urological centres in Italy showed a decrease from 956 patients/week seen just prior to the outbreak to 291 patients/week seen by the end of the study period. There was a difference in the number of patients with urgent/emergent urological disease seen within/during the different weeks (all p values < 0.05). A significant decrease in the number of patients presenting with haematuria, urinary retention, urinary tract infection, scrotal pain, renal colic, or trauma and urgent/emergent cases that required surgery was reported (all p values < 0.05). Conclusion: In Italy, during the COVID-19 outbreak there has been a decrease in patients seeking help for urgent/emergent urological conditions. Restructuring of hospitals and clinics is mandatory to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the healthcare system should continue to provide adequate levels of care also to patients with other conditions.
Additional details
- URL
- http://hdl.handle.net/11567/1031185
- URN
- urn:oai:iris.unige.it:11567/1031185
- Origin repository
- UNIGE