Characteristics of online medical care consultation for pregnant women during the COVID-19 outbreak: cross-sectional study

Objectives This study described the needs of pregnant women and the contents of online obstetric consultation in representative areas with various severity of the epidemic in China.Design This was a cross- sectional study.Setting Yue Yi Tong (YYT), a free online communication platform that allows pr...

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Main Authors: Jun Zhang, Philip Baker, Xin Luo, Ying Gao, Guoqiang Sun, Yuan Shi, Miaomiao Chen, Xiyao Liu, Jing Zeng, Yangxi Zheng, Hongbo Qi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-11-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e043461.full
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author Jun Zhang
Philip Baker
Xin Luo
Ying Gao
Guoqiang Sun
Yuan Shi
Miaomiao Chen
Xiyao Liu
Jing Zeng
Yangxi Zheng
Hongbo Qi
author_facet Jun Zhang
Philip Baker
Xin Luo
Ying Gao
Guoqiang Sun
Yuan Shi
Miaomiao Chen
Xiyao Liu
Jing Zeng
Yangxi Zheng
Hongbo Qi
author_sort Jun Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Objectives This study described the needs of pregnant women and the contents of online obstetric consultation in representative areas with various severity of the epidemic in China.Design This was a cross- sectional study.Setting Yue Yi Tong (YYT), a free online communication platform that allows pregnant women to consult professional obstetricians.Participants All the pregnant women who used the YYT platform.Intervention From 10 to 23 February, we collected data on online obstetric consultations and participants’ satisfaction through the YYT platform in the mild, moderate and severe epidemic areas which were defined according to the local confirmed cases. The primary outcomes were the reasons for online consultations by the severity of the epidemic. All the comparisons were performed using χ2 test. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS V.24.Results A total of 2599 pregnant women participated in this study, of whom 448 (17.24%), 1332 (51.25%) and 819 (31.51%) were from the mild, moderate and severe epidemic areas, respectively. The distribution of the amount of online consultations was significantly different not only in different areas (p<0.001) but also in different trimesters (p<0.001). A total of 957 participants completed the satisfaction part of the survey. In this study, 77.95% of the participants used e-health for the first time, and 94.63% of the participants were completely or mostly satisfied with the online consultations.Conclusions The distribution of the amount of online consultations was significantly different not only in different areas but also in different trimesters. In any trimester, the amount of consultations on the second category (obstetric care-seeking behaviour) was the highest in the severe epidemic areas. The needs for online consultations were substantial. In order to prevent irreversible obstetric adverse events, an appropriate antenatal care contingency plan with e-health services is highly recommended during the Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
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spelling doaj-art-6849c773731d44bdbfc8e41ab44e71e82025-08-20T02:48:10ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552020-11-01101110.1136/bmjopen-2020-043461Characteristics of online medical care consultation for pregnant women during the COVID-19 outbreak: cross-sectional studyJun Zhang0Philip Baker1Xin Luo2Ying Gao3Guoqiang Sun4Yuan Shi5Miaomiao Chen6Xiyao Liu7Jing Zeng8Yangxi Zheng9Hongbo Qi10MSD R&D (China) Co., Ltd, Beijing, ChinaCollege of Medicine, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKYichun Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Yichun, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing, ChinaObstetrics Department, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Neonatology, Chongqing Medical University Affiliated Children`s Hospital, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Health Policy and Management, Fudan University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine Unit, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaObjectives This study described the needs of pregnant women and the contents of online obstetric consultation in representative areas with various severity of the epidemic in China.Design This was a cross- sectional study.Setting Yue Yi Tong (YYT), a free online communication platform that allows pregnant women to consult professional obstetricians.Participants All the pregnant women who used the YYT platform.Intervention From 10 to 23 February, we collected data on online obstetric consultations and participants’ satisfaction through the YYT platform in the mild, moderate and severe epidemic areas which were defined according to the local confirmed cases. The primary outcomes were the reasons for online consultations by the severity of the epidemic. All the comparisons were performed using χ2 test. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS V.24.Results A total of 2599 pregnant women participated in this study, of whom 448 (17.24%), 1332 (51.25%) and 819 (31.51%) were from the mild, moderate and severe epidemic areas, respectively. The distribution of the amount of online consultations was significantly different not only in different areas (p<0.001) but also in different trimesters (p<0.001). A total of 957 participants completed the satisfaction part of the survey. In this study, 77.95% of the participants used e-health for the first time, and 94.63% of the participants were completely or mostly satisfied with the online consultations.Conclusions The distribution of the amount of online consultations was significantly different not only in different areas but also in different trimesters. In any trimester, the amount of consultations on the second category (obstetric care-seeking behaviour) was the highest in the severe epidemic areas. The needs for online consultations were substantial. In order to prevent irreversible obstetric adverse events, an appropriate antenatal care contingency plan with e-health services is highly recommended during the Public Health Emergency of International Concern.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e043461.full
spellingShingle Jun Zhang
Philip Baker
Xin Luo
Ying Gao
Guoqiang Sun
Yuan Shi
Miaomiao Chen
Xiyao Liu
Jing Zeng
Yangxi Zheng
Hongbo Qi
Characteristics of online medical care consultation for pregnant women during the COVID-19 outbreak: cross-sectional study
BMJ Open
title Characteristics of online medical care consultation for pregnant women during the COVID-19 outbreak: cross-sectional study
title_full Characteristics of online medical care consultation for pregnant women during the COVID-19 outbreak: cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Characteristics of online medical care consultation for pregnant women during the COVID-19 outbreak: cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Characteristics of online medical care consultation for pregnant women during the COVID-19 outbreak: cross-sectional study
title_short Characteristics of online medical care consultation for pregnant women during the COVID-19 outbreak: cross-sectional study
title_sort characteristics of online medical care consultation for pregnant women during the covid 19 outbreak cross sectional study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e043461.full
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