Consequences of Covid-19-related Restrictions on Healthcare Utilization and Health Outcomes

Introduction
While the COVID-19 pandemic has lost public attention, concerns remain that it had enduring effects on
people’s health, mainly due to postponement of medical treatments and preventive checkups during the
peak times of the pandemic. This is especially problematic for vulnerable older people as they were
more likely to forgo healthcare services, but more in need of regular healthcare.
Methods
We want to shed light on the mid- and long-term consequences of neglected healthcare on postpandemic
healthcare utilization and on physical and mental health outcomes. Longitudinal data from the
Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) will be employed to investigate this issue
before, during, and after the pandemic. By calculating growth curve models, our study will analyze
changes in approximately 40,000 older Europeans (50 years and over) from 2017 to 2022.
Results
Initial findings indicate that medical treatments still have been forgone to a larger extent after the
pandemic (in 2022), relative to the period prior to the pandemic. Both physical and mental health
outcomes have declined since the onset of the pandemic, with notable regional disparities across
Europe and variations based on individuals' health status before the pandemic.
Conclusions
Our findings demonstrate the enduring influence of pandemic-related consequences on both health
outcomes and healthcare utilization. We provide insights into the specific groups that experience the
most pronounced adverse effects due to restrictions on healthcare access and highlights the importance
of catching up postponed medical treatments. This information is crucial for policymakers, offering
guidance in anticipating and mitigating the potential repercussions of future public health crises.