Temporal Trends in the Use of Healthcare Services for Respiratory Infections in the Paediatric Population of Anoia (2017–2024): Primary and Hospital Care

Respiratory infections are among the leading causes of healthcare consultations in paediatric populations. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic significantly altered both the circulation of respiratory pathogens and the utilisation of healthcare services. This retrospective longitudinal observational study analysed temporal trends in consultations for respiratory infections among children under 15 years of age in the Anoia region between 2017 and 2024. Descriptive analyses and time-series modelling using negative binomial regression were performed. A total of 71,918 consultations were recorded, of which 71.7% occurred in primary care and 28.9% in hospital settings. The mean age of patients was lower in the hospital setting (3.4 years) than in primary care (8.7 years). During the pandemic, consultations decreased by 38% compared with the pre-pandemic period, followed by a rebound in 2022, particularly in hospital care. In the post-pandemic period, hospital consultations remained above pre-pandemic levels, whereas primary care activity tended to stabilise. No increase in bronchiolitis consultations was observed compared with the pre-pandemic period.