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Introduction <p>The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the behavior of health care utilization. In particular, the use of chest CT scans, as one of the diagnostic methods for COVID-19, has shown some changes. However, no specific studies have been conducted in Iran with precise methodology in this field. We aim to investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the frequency of chest CT during the pandemic using Interrupted Time Series analysis in Fars province, Iran. </p> Methods <p>In the current quasi-experimental study, CT utilization data from all public and private centers was gathered on monthly base in two time periods, 23&#xa0;months before the outbreak of the COVID-19 (April 2018 to February 2020) and 22&#xa0;months after that in the Fars province of Iran (March 2020 to December 2021). The short-term and long-term effects of COVID-19 on the CT utilization were assessed by the interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) using Stata 15.</p> Results <p>After pandemic, averagely more than 3000 chest CTs have been performed per month, which is much more than the period before COVID-19 (averagely 326 CTs per month). ITSA analysis showed, all type CT utilization has increased at long-term after COVID19 (ꞵ = 398.36, <i>P</i> = 0.000). The number of non-chest CT scans has insignificantly declined after COVID-19 (ꞵ = − 20.41, <i>P</i> = 0.651). However, COVID-19 has led to meaningful long term increase (ꞵ = 418.78, <i>P</i> = 0.001) in the number of chest CT scans.</p> Conclusions <p>As it is not clear what percent of chest CTs after COVID-19 are really necessary, the findings highlight the need for regulatory policies to optimize CT utilization, reducing unnecessary scans and associated costs while ensuring effective patient care.</p>

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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on chest CT scans utilization in Fars province, Iran: an interrupted time series analysis

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月1日

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  • Mohsen Bayati,
  • Farhad Lotfi,
  • Mohammad Bazyar

摘要

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the behavior of health care utilization. In particular, the use of chest CT scans, as one of the diagnostic methods for COVID-19, has shown some changes. However, no specific studies have been conducted in Iran with precise methodology in this field. We aim to investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the frequency of chest CT during the pandemic using Interrupted Time Series analysis in Fars province, Iran.

Methods

In the current quasi-experimental study, CT utilization data from all public and private centers was gathered on monthly base in two time periods, 23 months before the outbreak of the COVID-19 (April 2018 to February 2020) and 22 months after that in the Fars province of Iran (March 2020 to December 2021). The short-term and long-term effects of COVID-19 on the CT utilization were assessed by the interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) using Stata 15.

Results

After pandemic, averagely more than 3000 chest CTs have been performed per month, which is much more than the period before COVID-19 (averagely 326 CTs per month). ITSA analysis showed, all type CT utilization has increased at long-term after COVID19 (ꞵ = 398.36, P = 0.000). The number of non-chest CT scans has insignificantly declined after COVID-19 (ꞵ = − 20.41, P = 0.651). However, COVID-19 has led to meaningful long term increase (ꞵ = 418.78, P = 0.001) in the number of chest CT scans.

Conclusions

As it is not clear what percent of chest CTs after COVID-19 are really necessary, the findings highlight the need for regulatory policies to optimize CT utilization, reducing unnecessary scans and associated costs while ensuring effective patient care.