Healthcare service use dropped by a third during the COVID-19 pandemic
In short: A systematic review of 81 studies across 20 countries found that healthcare utilization decreased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers observed a median 37% reduction in overall services, including a 42% median drop in visits and a 28% median reduction in hospital admissions.
The review analyzed changes in visits, admissions, diagnostics, and therapeutics by comparing pandemic-era data to prior years. While the findings highlight a massive shift in how people access care, the researchers noted considerable variation across the different studies included.
The study's findings suggest that a larger proportion of people with milder illnesses saw reductions in service use compared to those with more severe conditions.
Why it matters: The pandemic caused a significant decline in healthcare use, particularly for patients with milder illnesses.
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Sources
- Source: Research: Moynihan et al. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on utilisation of healthcare services: a systematic review. BMJ open. · cc by-nc
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