Spillover health losses of COVID-19 in China: evidence from non-COVID-19-related mortality

Objectives: With the seeming end of the COVID-19 epidemic, international focus is rethinking its spillover consequences, such as on the routine provision and usage of healthcare. This study uses China's national death records to estimate the potential spillover effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mortality of non-COVID diseases in China, such as chronic diseases and mental disorders. Study design: A longitudinal study. Methods: Using the difference-in-difference strategy, our results showed a sizeable increase in total nonCOVID deaths and mortality from cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, mental diseases, and suicide. Results: Notably, the deaths from diabetes and suicide increased by 4.60% and 7.08%, respectively, relative to the regions without pandemic cases in the first outbreak and escalated by 3.57% and 5.00%, respectively, when the control group switched to the same period in 2019. Conclusions: These results documented adverse spillover effects of COVID-19 on mortality of non-COVID diseases, suggesting inadequate provision and utilization of regular healthcare. The government and healthcare industry should adopt expedient policies for non-epidemic diseases and reallocate health resources to mitigate future pandemics like COVID-19. (c) 2024 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.