Adjusted Differences in Use During Early and Midpandemic Phases Compared to Prepandemic Phase Among High-Risk VA Patients with Diabetes, n = 188,569
| Use Type | Mean Difference per Patient per Quarter (95% CI)* | |
|---|---|---|
| Early Pandemic | Midpandemic | |
| In-person primary care visits | −0.68 (−0.70, −0.66) | 0.08 (0.05, 0.11) |
| Virtual primary care visits | 0.88 (0.84, 0.92) | 0.49 (0.45, 0.53) |
| Adherence to diabetes medications† | 0.00 (−0.00, 0.00) | −0.00 (−0.01, 0.00) |
| Emergency department visits | −0.22 (−0.24, −0.21) | −0.03 (−0.06, 0.001) |
| All-cause medical/surgical hospitalizations | −0.23 (−0.28, −0.19) | −0.02 (−0.06, 0.02) |
| Hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions | −0.26 (−0.32, −0.20) | −0.05 (−0.12, 0.02) |
| Hospitalization for diabetes complications | −0.002 (−0.002, −0.001) | −0.000 (−0.000, 0.000) |
↵* Mean difference was estimated from linear regression models adjusting for quarter, patients’ sociodemographic characteristics, Elixhauser comorbidity, comorbid depression, distance to primary care site, rurality, clinic factors, and community rate of COVID infections. A Poisson model was used to estimate emergency department visits, all-cause, and ACSC hospitalizations, whereas a logistic model was used to estimate hospitalization for diabetes complications.
† Measured by the proportion of days covered.
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; VA, veterans affairs; ACSC, ambulatory care-sensitive condition.