ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented levels of subjective unmet healthcare needs (SUN). This study investigates the association between SUN in 2020 and three health outcomes in 2021-mortality, cancer, and self-assessed health (SAH), among adults aged 50 years and older, using data from the regular administration of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and from the two special waves administered in 2020 and 2021 regarding COVID-19. Three types of SUN were surveyed: care foregone due to fear of contracting COVID-19, pre-scheduled care postponed, and inability to get medical appointments or treatments demanded. We resort on the relative risk and the logistic specification to investigate the association between SUN and health outcomes. To avoid simultaneity, 1-year lagged SUN variables are used. We found a negative association between SUN and mortality. This result differs from the (scarce) previous evidence, suggesting that health systems prioritised life-threatening conditions, in the pandemic context. In line with previous studies, we obtained a positive association between SUN and worse health, in the case of cancer, though it is statistically significant only for the global measure of SUN (any reason). The higher chances of reporting cancer among those exposed to SUN might mean delayed cancer diagnosis, confirming that healthcare foregone was truly needed for a timely diagnosis. The association between SUN and poor or fair SAH is positive but not statistically significant, for the period analysed.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of healthcare appointments and to lower demand, which generated unmet healthcare needs. The aim of this study was to evaluate their prevalence and distribution in Portugal. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data came from the "Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe". Between June and August 2020, 1118 Portuguese individuals aged 50 or over were inquired about unmet healthcare needs due to: i) fear of getting infected; ii) cancellation by the doctor/healthcare services; iii) unsuccessful consultation request. The analysis of the prevalence of unmet needs was complemented by the calculation of the concentration indices as a function of the variables: income, education and health status. RESULTS: About 60% of respondents reported at least one unmet need, which was almost twice the European average. Motive ii) cancellation by the doctor/healthcare services was the most frequent. The prevalence of unmet needs differed depending on income level and health status. The indices evidence the concentration of unmet needs in individuals with the worst health status, although for the reason fear of infection the concentration occurred in those with higher levels of income and education. CONCLUSION: Our study showed a high prevalence of unmet needs and their concentration in individuals with worse health status. Given the association between unmet needs and the subsequent deterioration of health, these results should raise concerns about the near future.
Introdução: A pandemia por COVID-19 conduziu ao cancelamento de cuidados de saúde e à diminuição da sua procura resultando em necessidades de cuidados de saúde não satisfeitas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a sua prevalência e distribuição, em Portugal. Material e Métodos: Os dados provêm do Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Foram inquiridos 1118 portugueses com 50 ou mais anos, entre junho e agosto de 2020, sobre necessidades de cuidados de saúde não satisfeitas por: i) receio de ser infetado; ii) cancelamento por parte dos serviços de saúde; iii) solicitação de consulta não atendida. A análise de prevalência de necessidades não satisfeitas foi complementada pelo cálculo de índices de concentração em função das variáveis: rendimento, educação e estado de saúde. Resultados: Cerca de 60% dos inquiridos reportaram pelo menos uma necessidade não satisfeita, quase o dobro da média europeia, sendo o motivo ii) cancelamento por parte dos serviços de saúde o mais frequente. A prevalência de necessidades não satisfeitas diferiu consoante o nível de rendimento e o estado de saúde. Os índices comprovaram a sua concentração nos indivíduos com pior estado de saúde, embora para o motivo Receio a concentração ocorresse nos que têm maior rendimento e nível de educação. Conclusão: O nosso estudo revelou uma elevada prevalência de necessidades de cuidados de saúde não satisfeitas e a sua concentração em indivíduos com pior estado de saúde. Dada a associação entre necessidades não satisfeitas e a subsequente deterioração da saúde, estes resultados constituem um alerta para o futuro próximo.