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COVID-19 and Unmet Healthcare Needs of Older People: Did Inequity Arise in Europe?

Author

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  • Marta González-Touya

    (Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain)

  • Alexandrina Stoyanova

    (Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Barcelona, 08034 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Rosa M. Urbanos-Garrido

    (Department of Applied Economics, Public Economics and Political Economy, Faculty of Economics and Business, University Complutense of Madrid, 28223 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

Background: The disruption in healthcare provision due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced many non-urgent medical treatments and appointments to be postponed or denied, which is expected to have huge impact on non-acute health conditions, especially in vulnerable populations such as older people. Attention should be paid to equity issues related to unmet needs during the pandemic. Methods: We calculated concentration indices to identify income-related inequalities and horizontal inequity in unmet needs due to postponed and denied healthcare in people over 50 during COVID-19, using data from the Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Results: Very few countries show significant income-related inequalities in postponed, rescheduled or denied treatments and medical appointments, usually favouring the rich. Only Estonia, Italy and Romania show a significant horizontal inequity (HI) in postponed healthcare, which apparently favours the poor. Significant pro-rich inequity in denied healthcare is found in Italy, Poland and Greece. Conclusions: Although important income-related horizontal inequity in unmet needs of European older adults during the early waves of the COVID-19 pandemic is not evident for most countries, some of them have to carefully monitor barriers to healthcare access. Delays in diagnosis and treatments may ultimately translate into adverse health outcomes, reduced quality of life and, even, widen socio-economic health inequalities among older people.

Suggested Citation

  • Marta González-Touya & Alexandrina Stoyanova & Rosa M. Urbanos-Garrido, 2021. "COVID-19 and Unmet Healthcare Needs of Older People: Did Inequity Arise in Europe?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:9177-:d:626181
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    1. Aviad Tur-Sinai & Netta Bentur & Giovanni Lamura, 2022. "Perceived deterioration in health status among older adults in Europe and Israel following the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1243-1250, December.
    2. Veronica Sze-Ki Lai & Sui-Yu Yau & Linda Yin-King Lee & Becky Siu-Yin Li & Susan Sin-Ping Law & Shixin Huang, 2022. "Caring for Older People during and beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of Residential Health Care Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-19, November.
    3. Carnazza, Giovanni & Liberati, Paolo & Resce, Giuliano, 2023. "Income-related unmet needs in the European countries," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    4. Bergeot, Julien & Jusot, Florence, 2024. "How did unmet care needs during the pandemic affect health outcomes of older European individuals?," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    5. Julien Bergeot & Florence Jusot, 2024. "The impact of unmet health care needs on self-assessed health and functional limitations during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic," Post-Print hal-04564156, HAL.
    6. Sime Smolic & Nikola Blazevski & Margareta Fabijancic, 2024. "Perceived unmet healthcare needs among older Europeans in the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: the telemedicine solution," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 48(2), pages 125-150.

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