The impact of COVID-19 and control measures on public health in Thailand, 2020

PeerJ

article

Ritthideach Yorsaeng¹  Nungruthai Suntronwong¹  Ilada Thongpan¹  Watchaporn Chuchaona¹  Fajar Budi Lestari¹  Siripat Pasittungkul¹  Jiratchaya Puenpa¹  Kamolthip Atsawawaranunt²  Chollasap Sharma³  Natthinee Sudhinaraset¹  Anek Mungaomklang²  Rungrueng Kitphati⁵  Nasamon Wanlapakorn¹  Yong Poovorawan¹ 

[1] Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology;Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Institute for Urban Disease Control and Prevention;Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Institute of Preventive Medicine;Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Division of International Disease Control Port;Ministry of Public Health

关键词: COVID-19;    Public health;    Mental health;    Impact;    Viral disease;    Road accident;    Suicidal behavior;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.12960

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe COVID-19 virus has been an emerging disease causing global outbreaks for over a year. In Thailand, transmission may be controlled by strict measures that could positively and negatively impact physical health and suicidal behavior.MethodsThe incidence of COVID-19 was retrieved from the Department of Disease Control (DDC). The impact of viral diseases was retrieved from the open-source of the DDC and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. The road accidents data were from the Thai Ministry of Transport. The suicidal behavior data were obtained from the Department of Mental Health. We compared data from the year 2019 with the pandemic COVID-19 outbreak period in 2020, before lockdown, during lockdown, easing, and new wave period using unpaired t-test and least-squares linear regression. We compared the impact of the outbreak on various data records in 2020 with corresponding non-outbreak from 2019.ResultsThere was a significant decline in cases of influenza (p < 0.001) and norovirus (p = 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in RSV cases (p = 0.17). There was a dramatic increase in attempt to suicides and suicides (p < 0.001). There was no impact on roadside accidents and outpatient department visits.DiscussionThe extensive intervention measures during lockdown during the first wave positively impacted total cases for each period for acute respiratory and gastrointestinal tract diseases, car accidents, and injuries and negatively impacted indicators of suicidal behavior. The data support government policies that would be effective against the next outbreak by promoting the “new normal” lifestyle.

【 授权许可】

CC BY