Factors Associated with the Patient’s Decision to Avoid Healthcare during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Patrícia Soares, Andreia Leite, Sara Esteves, Ana Gama, Pedro Almeida Laires, Marta Moniz, Ana Rita Pedro, Cristina Mendes Santos, Ana Rita Goes, Carla Nunes and Sónia Dias
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Patrícia Soares: Comprehensive Health Research Center, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
Andreia Leite: Comprehensive Health Research Center, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
Sara Esteves: Comprehensive Health Research Center, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
Ana Gama: Comprehensive Health Research Center, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
Pedro Almeida Laires: Comprehensive Health Research Center, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
Marta Moniz: Comprehensive Health Research Center, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
Ana Rita Pedro: Comprehensive Health Research Center, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
Cristina Mendes Santos: Comprehensive Health Research Center, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
Ana Rita Goes: Comprehensive Health Research Center, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
Carla Nunes: Comprehensive Health Research Center, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
Sónia Dias: Comprehensive Health Research Center, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 24, 1-12

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes in healthcare use. This study aimed to identify factors associated with a patient’s decision to avoid and/or delay healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used data from a community-based survey in Portugal from July 2020 to August 2021, “COVID-19 Barometer: Social Opinion”, which included data regarding health services use, risk perception and confidence in health services. We framed our analysis under Andersen’s Behavioural Model of Health Services Use and utilised Poisson regression to identify healthcare avoidance associated factors. Healthcare avoidance was high (44%). Higher prevalence of healthcare avoidance was found among women; participants who reported lower confidence in the healthcare system response to COVID-19 and non-COVID-19; lost income during the pandemic; experienced negative emotions due to physical distancing measures; answered the questionnaire before middle June 2021; and perceived having worse health, the measures implemented by the Government as inadequate, the information conveyed as unclear and confusing, a higher risk of getting COVID-19, a higher risk of complications and a higher risk of getting infected in a health institution. It is crucial to reassure the population that health services are safe. Health services should plan their recovery since delays in healthcare delivery can lead to increased or worsening morbidity, yielding economic and societal costs.

Keywords: healthcare avoidance; health services; COVID-19; risk perception (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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