Number of first‐visit patients in Second Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Osaka Dental University Hospital and social conditions

<p>In December of 2019, the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) first appeared. In this study, we investigated the influence from social conditions and news reports upon the age and sex distribution of patients visiting our hospital for the first time between January 2020 and December 2022.</p><p>Within a total of 20,771 first‐visit patients who attended the Second Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Osaka Dental University Hospital, the number of patients per month with respect to age and sex was investigated. Concerning Using Spearman's correlation coefficients on NHK news coverage and Google Trend from February 2020 (when COVID‐19 appeared in Osaka) to October 2022 (when the restrictions were eased), we categorized the age and sex of those first‐visit patients. Additionally, multiple regression analyses were performed with respect to 1st and 2nd or later state‐of‐emergency declarations, and priority preventive measures.</p><p>The number of patients after 2020 increased. There was a strong correlation between the attendance of females aged ≥41 years and news coverage of COVID‐19. Multiple regression analysis showed that there was a significant decrease in the number of patients after the 1st state‐of‐emergency declaration in females aged ≥18 years and males aged ≥41 years. (J Osaka Dent Univ 2024; 58: 273-278)</p>