The national lockdowns instituted in Israel in 2020 negatively impacted the health of Israelis, a large-scale study by Clalit Health Services published this week revealed.
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The research, which included 771,636 medical files of residents of central Israel and Jerusalem, showed that the number of obese patients increased by 8% during the lockdown periods, compared to 2019; smoking patients by 7% and patients suffering from high blood pressure by 6%.
In addition, the number of patients with cardiovascular diseases went up by 14%, and patients suffering from psychiatric disorders by a whopping 60%.
The study aimed to compare the difference in various chronic diseases in 2019 and 2020, the year Israel had three nation-wide lockdowns. As a result, Israelis spent less time outdoors, and visits to hospitals decreased due to fear of exposure.
The study – led by epidemiologist Galit Shefer – will be presented at the Israel National Institute For Health Policy Research's annual conference, to be held at the end of March.
"The coronavirus pandemic had indirect impacts that led to a worsening of [individuals'] health condition – clinical and mental – especially among patients who before COVID suffered from hypertension and respiratory diseases," Shefer said.
She highlighted the importance of focusing health and mental care efforts during a pandemic on individuals with such conditions.
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