Two out of five individuals have delayed or missed medical care in the early stages of the pandemic – from March through July 2020 – according to a new study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The study of 1,337 U.S. adults found that 544, or 41 percent, were delaying or missing medical care during the study period. Among the 1,055 people who reported needing medical care, 29 percent (307 respondents) said they feared COVID-19 would be released as the primary cause. Seven per cent (75 respondents) stated that financial concerns were the main reason for delaying or losing care.
The results were published online in Open JAMA Network on 21 January.
It is important to understand the reasons why individuals care to design policy and clinical interventions to limit the level of care forgotten. This is particularly relevant as COVID-19 cases are again compliant. “
Kelly Anderson, Principal Author of Research, Doctoral Student, Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School
In the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, major problems in the U.S. health care system included the closure of medical practices, the elimination of selective procedures, and the shift of many health services to telehealth. As a result of the complications, many people lost or were delayed medical care that could lead to increased health problems, cost, and delayed diagnosis.
The study, part of the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Civic Life and Public Health Study, was introduced between July 7 and July 22, 2020. The sample was drawn from NORC’s Amerispeak Panel, an online sample that represents nationalization of U.S. households. Respondents were asked whether they missed several types of care, including doses of medication, a scheduled protective care visit, a patient’s medical or mental health visit, elective surgical procedures, or care for genuine physical health issues. or mind.
Among the 1,337 survey respondents, 29 percent (387 respondents) said they missed a protective care visit, 26 percent (343 respondents) said they wanted a medical career general outpatient, 8 percent (108 respondents) said they missed one or more doses of medication, 8 percent (105 respondents) said they wanted a patient mental health role externally, 6 percent (77 respondents) reported missing elective surgery, and 3 percent (38 respondents) stated that they were not receiving health care for a new mental or physical health issue.
Among the 1,055 people who said they needed medical care from March to mid-July 2020, more than half, 52 percent (554 respondents) said they were missing care. Among those, 58 percent who had a registered protective care position lost their job and 60 percent (77 respondents) had a surgical procedure of choice registered for the procedure. About half, 51 percent (38 respondents), of respondents with a new mental health or physical health issue that started after the onset of the pandemic, said they were not seeking care for a new health issue.
The study also found that medication was disturbed. Among 725 respondents who reported taking medication, three times as many Hispanic respondents reported missing medication as compared to non-Hispanic, white respondents – 30 percent (33 of 109 respondents) compared with 10 percent (50 of 482 respondents).
Twenty-two respondents aged 18 to 34 reported missing medication (45 out of 204 respondents) compared with 6 percent of adults over 65 (10 of 160 respondents) and 16 percent of those aged 35-49 (29 of 182 respondents).
Twenty-seven respondents in households with an income of less than $ 35,000 dollars per year reported missed medications compared to 6 percent of respondents in households with an income. a higher income of at least $ 75,000 (66 of 244 respondents and 16 of 255 respondents). Thirty-six percent of individuals insured through Medicaid reported a higher frequency of missed medication (41 out of 114 respondents), compared to 10 percent of commercially insured individuals (52 of 517 respondents).
Finally, among those who reported a need for medical care, unemployed respondents reported higher frequencies of neglected medical care (65 percent versus 50 percent, 121 of 186). respondents and 251 of 503 respondents, respectively), missing doses of medication (39 per cent versus 13 per cent, 46 of 117 respondents and 46 of 367 respondents, respectively) , and missing registered occupations (70 percent vs. 56 percent, 111 of 159 respondents and 225 of 405 respondents, respectively) compared to employed individuals.
“These COVID-19-related side effects in medical care are likely to have longer-term effects beyond the pandemic – including differences worse health, “said Colleen Barry, MPP, PhD, Fred and Julie Soper, chair of the Department of Health Policy and Governance at Bloomberg School, and senior author of the study.” Our study shows that many people are getting medical care for economic reasons, which suggests that economic stimulus policies such as the extension of unemployment benefits could have important health benefits. “
Source:
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
Magazine Reference:
Anderson, KE, et al. (2021) Reports of Forgotten Medical Care among U.S. Adults During the Initial Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic. Open JAMA Network. doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.34882.