The impact of COVID-19 on the number of active small primary care businesses by severity of the pandemic: evidence from South Korea

Abstract

Background: Health systems have become fnancially fragile owing to the economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, small primary care businesses have received less policy attention than public health and secondary care. We aimed to estimate the impact of COVID-19 on the number of active small primary care busi‑ nesses in South Korea. Methods: We selected clinics, dental clinics, oriental clinics, and pharmacies as primary care businesses. Our estima‑ tion took advantage of regional variations in COVID-19 cases in South Korea. We determined the number of active primary care businesses from 2019 1Q to 2021 1Q on a quarterly basis, and conducted interrupted time series analysis to estimate the efects of COVID-19 on this sector. Results: This study found no signifcant increase or decrease in the number of clinics, dental clinics, and oriental clin‑ ics immediately after the pandemic began or in the time trends after the pandemic. However, there was a signifcant increase in the number of pharmacies immediately after the pandemic. The most afected area presented diferent trends in the number of pharmacies, dental clinics, and oriental clinics. Conclusions: Impact of the pandemic on the number of active small primary care business were low in South Korea. However, the impact varied according to the type of primary care setting and severity of the pandemic. The additional public health role of primary care could be associated with the sustenance of primary care businesses.