Data collected by Outcome Health's POLAR research team shows there has been a marked reduction in GP presentations for childhood infective illnesses such as bronchiolitis and gastroenteritis during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a decrease in antibiotic prescriptions, but this has been accompanied by worrying increases in anxiety, depression and eating disorder-related diagnoses.
The data has been collected using Outcome Health's POLAR GP tool from 1000 general practices in South Eastern Melbourne, Eastern Melbourne, Gippsland, South Western Sydney and Central and Eastern Sydney PHNs and analysed as part of the organisation's ongoing data insights research program.
