Time trends in infectious and chronic disease consultations in Dakar, Senegal: Impact of Covid-19 Sanitary Measures
Authors: Diop Massamba , Gaye Bamba , Khoury Stéphanie , Asselin Anouk , Kingue Samuel , N’Guetta Roland , Diop Ibrahima Bara , Lassale Camille , Cene Crystal , Jouven Xavier 
Published: November 2020

Background

The impact of COVID-19 sanitary measures on the time trends in infectious and chronic disease consultations in Sub-Saharan Africa remains unknown.

Methods

We conducted a cohort study on all emergency medical consultations over a five-year period, January 2016 to July 2020, from SOS Medecins in Dakar, Senegal. The consultation records provided basic demographic information such as age, ethnicity (Senegalese v. Caucasian), and sex as well as the principal diagnosis using an ICD-10 classification (‘infectious, ‘chronic’, and ‘other’). Firstly, we investigated how the pattern in emergency consultation differed from March to July 2020 compared to previous years. Secondly, we examined any potential racial/ethnic disparities in COVID-19 consultation.

Findings

Data on emergency medical consultations were obtained from 53,583 patients of all ethnic origins. The mean age of patients was 37.0 ± 25.2 and 30.3 ± 21.7 in 2016-2019 and 45.5 ± 24.7 and 39·5 ± 23.3 in 2020 for Senegalese and Caucasians. The type of consultations between the months of January and July were similar from 2016 and 2019; however, in 2020, there was a drop among the numbers of infectious disease consultations, particularly from April to May 2020 when sanitary measures for COVID-19 were applied (average of 366.5 and 358.25 in 2016-1019 and 133 and 125 in 2020). The prevalence of chronic conditions remained steady during the same period (average of 381 and 394.75 in 2016-2019 and 373 and 367 in 2020). In a multivariate analysis after adjusting to age and sex, infectious disease consultations were significantly more likely to occur in 2016-2019 compared to 2020 (OR for 2016= 2.39, 2017= 2.74, 2018= 2.39, 2019= 2.01). Furthermore, the trend in the number of infectious and chronic consultations were similar among Senegalese and Caucasian groups, indicating no disparities among those seeking treatment.

Interpretation

During the implementation of COVID-19 sanitary measures, infectious disease rates dropped as chronic disease rates stayed stagnant in Dakar. Furthermore, no racial/ethnic disparities were observed among the infectious and chronic consultations.

Key Points

Question

How has the application of COVID-19 sanitary measures affected emergency medical consultations from March to July 2020 compared to previous years?

Finding

The rates of infectious diseases decreased as rates of chronic diseases stayed stagnant with the application of sanitary measures. Among the infectious and chronic disease consultations, no racial/ethnic disparities were observed.

Meaning

Understanding the effects of the sanitary measures against COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa has helped emphasize the possibility of limiting the spread of other infectious diseases in this part of the world where they are still highly prevalent and the efficiency of controlling the spread of the virus while avoiding racial/ethnic disparities.