Samantha R Paige, Janice L Krieger, Michael Stellefson, Julia M Alber
eHealth literacy in chronic disease patients: An item response theory analysis of the eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS)
Patient education and counseling
emergence covid19 pandemic december 2019 initiated global transformation healthcare practices particularly respect hospital management pcr testing mandates medical treatment seekers introduced mitigate virus transmission study examines impact changes management patients appendicitis conducted retrospective analysis medical records 748 patients diagnosed appendicitis underwent surgery tertiary care hospital two distinct periods prepandemic year 2019 postpandemic year 2021 patient demographics clinical characteristics laboratory data surgical outcomes hospital stay duration assessed significant differences observed general characteristics patients two groups time hospital visit operation increased significantly pandemic unexpectedly delayed surgical intervention associated shorter hospital stays directly impact complication rates discernible variation type surgery surgical timing based symptom onset pandemic also prompted increase appendicitis cases potentially related coronavirus protein expression within appendix covid19 pandemic reshaped landscape appendicitis management study underscores complex interplay factors including changes hospital protocols patient concerns surgical timing research needed explore potential link covid19 appendicitis insights valuable informing healthcare practices beyond pandemic