Outpatient pediatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic, Almaty, Kazakhstan 2021–2022
Kozhekenova N. Santric-Milicevic M. Nurgaliyeva Z. Oshibayeva A. Jeremic D. Dinic M. Kyrykbayeva S. Zhagiparova Z. Smasheva A. Miller A. Tolekova S. Glushkova N.
2025Frontiers Media SA
Frontiers in Public Health
2025#13
Background/objectives: During the COVID-19 pandemic, primary health care systems worldwide adapted to manage cases in outpatient settings, including those involving children. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of 27,205 outpatient COVID-19 cases among children (0–17 years) in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2022, compared with major epidemiological events and public health measures. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted to assess the likelihood of hospitalization regarding demographic characteristics, concomitant diseases, the severity of COVID-19 course, as well as the dynamic of cases. Results: The majority of children (99.3%) were asymptomatic or mild. Children in the younger age group (0–4) had a higher risk of severe course and hospitalization compared with adolescents aged 15–17 years. Sex and chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, obesity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) did not demonstrate statistical significance. The longest spike in outpatient COVID-19 cases in children coincided with the circulation of Delta and Eta strains, the highest with Omicron. Conclusion: Among outpatient COVID-19 cases in children, the likelihood of severe forms and hospitalization is higher if the child is under 5 years of age. Copyright
children , coronavirus infection , COVID-19 , epidemiology , non-pharmaceutical interventions , outpatient
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Faculty of Medicine and Health Care, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Alatau City Hospital, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Faculty of Medicine, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkestan, Kazakhstan
Institute of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Laboratory for Strengthening Capacity and Performance of Health System and Workforce for Health Equity, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Vice Rector for Science and Strategic Development, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkestan, Kazakhstan
Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Orthopaedics «Banjica», University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Serbian Medical Chamber, Belgrade, Serbia
Center for Strategic Development, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkestan, Kazakhstan
Faculty of Foreign Languages, Karaganda Buketov University, Karaganda, Kazakhstan
School of Sciences and Humanities, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Telemedicine Center, Central City Clinical Hospital, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Health Research Institute, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Faculty of Medicine and Health Care
Alatau City Hospital
Faculty of Medicine
Institute of Social Medicine
Laboratory for Strengthening Capacity and Performance of Health System and Workforce for Health Equity
Vice Rector for Science and Strategic Development
Faculty of Medicine
Serbian Medical Chamber
Center for Strategic Development
Faculty of Foreign Languages
School of Sciences and Humanities
Telemedicine Center
Health Research Institute
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