Potential Utility of School-Based Telehealth in the Era of COVID-19.
COVID-19
coronavirus
pandemic
respiratory disease
school-based telehealth
Journal
The Journal of school health
ISSN: 1746-1561
Titre abrégé: J Sch Health
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 0376370
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
07 2021
07 2021
Historique:
revised:
01
04
2021
received:
21
09
2020
accepted:
05
04
2021
pubmed:
7
5
2021
medline:
22
6
2021
entrez:
6
5
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The COVID-19 pandemic presents unique opportunities for preexisting school telemedicine programs to reach pediatric populations that might otherwise experience a lapse in health care services. A retrospective analysis of one of the largest school-based telemedicine programs in the country, based in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Texas was conducted that included 7021 pediatric patients who engaged in telehealth visits from 2014 to 2019. Asthma or other respiratory disease was the primary diagnosis (28.4%), followed by injury or trauma (18.4%), digestive disorders (6.9%), and ear/eye/skin disease (6.9%). More participants were from the North (34.4%) and West (33.2%) ISD compared to the South (20.6%) and East (11.7%) schools. Likewise, the majority of COVID-19 cases were in the North (61.8%) and West (31.6%) DFW regions, leading to 989 (59.9%) and 551 (33.4%) deaths, respectively. School-based telehealth programs have the potential to reach large pediatric populations most in need of health care due to COVID-19-related lapses in services, and to address COVID-19-related health issues as schools reopen. In the future, utilization could be expanded to contact tracing, testing, and screening for COVID-19.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic presents unique opportunities for preexisting school telemedicine programs to reach pediatric populations that might otherwise experience a lapse in health care services.
METHODS
A retrospective analysis of one of the largest school-based telemedicine programs in the country, based in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Texas was conducted that included 7021 pediatric patients who engaged in telehealth visits from 2014 to 2019.
RESULTS
Asthma or other respiratory disease was the primary diagnosis (28.4%), followed by injury or trauma (18.4%), digestive disorders (6.9%), and ear/eye/skin disease (6.9%). More participants were from the North (34.4%) and West (33.2%) ISD compared to the South (20.6%) and East (11.7%) schools. Likewise, the majority of COVID-19 cases were in the North (61.8%) and West (31.6%) DFW regions, leading to 989 (59.9%) and 551 (33.4%) deaths, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
School-based telehealth programs have the potential to reach large pediatric populations most in need of health care due to COVID-19-related lapses in services, and to address COVID-19-related health issues as schools reopen. In the future, utilization could be expanded to contact tracing, testing, and screening for COVID-19.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33954998
doi: 10.1111/josh.13031
pmc: PMC8207081
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
550-554Subventions
Organisme : Research Foundation
Informations de copyright
© 2021, American School Health Association.
Références
JAMA Pediatr. 2021 Jan 1;175(1):9-10
pubmed: 32658256
Environ Health Perspect. 2021 Jan;129(1):17701
pubmed: 33400596
JAMA Pediatr. 2014 Jul;168(7):642-8
pubmed: 24840710
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020 Aug;146(2):334-335
pubmed: 32553599
JAMA Pediatr. 2019 Nov 1;173(11):1041-1048
pubmed: 31498379
BMJ Open. 2015 Feb 06;5(2):e006448
pubmed: 25659890
Pediatrics. 2015 Jul;136(1):e293-308
pubmed: 26122813
Pediatrics. 2000 Apr;105(4 Pt 1):780-8
pubmed: 10742320
Am J Nurs. 2019 Dec;119(12):59
pubmed: 31764057
Glob Pediatr Health. 2019 Oct 23;6:2333794X19884194
pubmed: 31692723