TITLE:
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Patient Attendance and Trends in the Use of Medical Imaging Modalities in a Referral Hospital in the City of Douala, Cameroon
AUTHORS:
Yannick Onana, Joshua Tambe, Mohamadou Aminou, Samuel Mbozo’o Mvondo, Francis Ateba Ndongo, Jean Claude Mballa Amougou, Jeremie Mbo Amvene, Mathurin Neossi Guena, Harvey Onana, Boniface Moifo, Emile Telesphore Mboudou
KEYWORDS:
COVID-19, Impact, Imaging Trends, Radiology Department, Douala
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Medical Imaging,
Vol.12 No.1,
March
21,
2022
ABSTRACT: Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a massive influx of patients with suspected or confirmed flu to hospitals, paradoxically leading to a decrease in the attendance for some services. This study aspired to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the attendance of patients at the Radiology and Medical Imaging Department of a tertiary hospital in Douala, Cameroon. Materials and Methods: This was an observational, retrospective and descriptive hospital-based study. Data on patient attendance was extracted from the medical records at the Radiology Unit of Douala Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital (DGOPH) between the 1st of March 2019 and the 30th of August 2021. Results: There was a drop in the number of sonographies and conventional radiographies by 25.73% and 18.26% respectively during the peaks pandemic period of 2020 compared to the preceding pre-pandemic era (2019). There was a recovery in 2021 as the numbers increased. Computed tomography studies increased by 40.65% during the peak pandemic period of 2020. Conclusion: This study enables us to understand the health-seeking behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in CT utilization during the peak period of the pandemic nevertheless required caution in order to ensure safety and to promote rational cost-effective utilization.