A Multicenter Study about the Population Treated in the Respiratory Triage Stations Deployed by the Red Cross during the COVID-19 Pandemic

José Antonio Ponce-Blandón, Rocío Romero-Castillo, Leyre Rodríguez-Leal (), Raquel González-Hervías, Juan Francisco Velarde-García and Beatriz Álvarez-Embarba
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José Antonio Ponce-Blandón: Red Cross Nursing University Centre, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
Rocío Romero-Castillo: Red Cross Nursing University Centre, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
Leyre Rodríguez-Leal: Red Cross Nursing University College, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28003 Madrid, Spain
Raquel González-Hervías: Red Cross Nursing University College, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28003 Madrid, Spain
Juan Francisco Velarde-García: Red Cross Nursing University College, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28003 Madrid, Spain
Beatriz Álvarez-Embarba: Red Cross Nursing University College, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28003 Madrid, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Background: Care demand exceeded the availability of human and material resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is the reason why triage was fundamental. The objective is to know the clinical and sociodemographic factors of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases in triage stations from different Ecuadorian provinces. Method: A multicenter study with a retrospective and descriptive design. The patients included were those who accessed the Respiratory Triage stations deployed by the Ecuadorian Red Cross in eight Ecuadorian provinces during March and April 2021. Triage allows for selecting patients that need urgent treatment and favors efficacy of health resources. Results: The study population consisted of a total of 21,120 patients, of which 43.1% were men and 56.9% were women, with an age range between 0 and 98 years old. Severity of COVID-19 behaved differently according to gender, with mild symptoms predominating in women and severe or critical symptoms in men. Higher incidence of critical cases was observed in patients over 65 years old. It was observed that overweight predominated in critical, severe, and moderate cases, while the body mass index of patients with mild symptoms was within the normal range. Conclusions: The Ecuadorian Red Cross units identified some suspected COVID-19 cases, facilitating their follow-up and isolation. Fever was the most significant early finding.

Keywords: triage (DeCS; MeSH); coronavirus infections (DeCS; MeSH); respiratory tract diseases (DeCS; MeSH); health impact assessment (DeCS; MeSH) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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