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The COVID-19 Pandemic in Care Homes: An Exploration of Its Impact across Regions in Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Marta Benet

    (Campus Docent Sant Joan de Déu, School of Nursing, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Sant Benito Menni, 18-20, 08830 Sant Boi del Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain)

  • Patricia Celi-Medina

    (Research Group on Inclusive Societies, Politics, and Communities, Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya, Masia Torre dels Frares, Carrer Perot Rocaguinarda, 17, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain
    UNESCO Chair on Women, Development, and Cultures, Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya, Masia Torre dels Frares, Carrer Perot Rocaguinarda, 17, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain)

  • Montserrat Fernández

    (Research Group on Inclusive Societies, Politics, and Communities, Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya, Masia Torre dels Frares, Carrer Perot Rocaguinarda, 17, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain
    UNESCO Chair on Women, Development, and Cultures, Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya, Masia Torre dels Frares, Carrer Perot Rocaguinarda, 17, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain)

  • Sandra Ezquerra

    (Research Group on Inclusive Societies, Politics, and Communities, Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya, Masia Torre dels Frares, Carrer Perot Rocaguinarda, 17, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain
    UNESCO Chair on Women, Development, and Cultures, Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya, Masia Torre dels Frares, Carrer Perot Rocaguinarda, 17, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain
    Department of Social Sciences and Community Health, School of Health and Welfare, Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya, Masia Torre dels Frares, Carrer Perot Rocaguinarda, 17, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain)

Abstract

This article provides an updated picture of the enormous consequences that the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (March–June 2020) had for older adults living in Spanish care homes. It aims to describe the regional variation in deaths among home care residents through a methodological triangulation of descriptive quantitative, ecological and documentary analysis. Figures of five different indicators of care home mortality are provided and some factors related to higher mortality rates are presented and analysed in the descriptive ecological analysis in order to depict trends and, in a linear regression, to determine their statistical significance. The clearest trend reflected by the data is that the higher the cumulative incidence and the number of care home beds in the surrounding area, the higher the COVID-19 care home mortality. We argue that the pandemic has brought to light the historical fragility and underdevelopment of the Spanish LTC sector, and that these factors have exacerbated the consequences of the pandemic. Finally, we conclude that publicly available and disaggregated data would allow a deeper and more accurate analysis of potentially explanatory factors such as the type of care home ownership and management, and that further qualitative research would shed more light on people’s experiences.

Suggested Citation

  • Marta Benet & Patricia Celi-Medina & Montserrat Fernández & Sandra Ezquerra, 2022. "The COVID-19 Pandemic in Care Homes: An Exploration of Its Impact across Regions in Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:15:p:9617-:d:880429
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrew Gelman & David K. Park & Stephen Ansolabehere & Phillip N. Price & Lorraine C. Minnite, 2001. "Models, assumptions and model checking in ecological regressions," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 164(1), pages 101-118.
    2. Rodríguez Cabrero, Gregorio, 2007. "El marco institucional de la protección social de la dependencia en España/," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 25, pages 341-372, Abril.
    3. Sergi Jiménez-Martín & Analía Viola, 2020. "La asistencia residencial en España y COVID-19," Studies on the Spanish Economy eee2020-20, FEDEA.
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