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Changes in Healthcare Utilization, Spending, and Perceived Health during COVID–19: A Longitudinal Study from Singapore

Author

Listed:
  • Ahn, SangNam

    (University of Memphis)

  • Kim, Seonghoon

    (Singapore Management University)

  • Koh, Kanghyock

    (Korea University)

Abstract

The COVID–19 pandemic has challenged the capacity of healthcare systems around the world and can potentially compromise healthcare utilization and health outcomes among non-COVID–19 patients. Using monthly panel data of nationally representative middle-aged and older Singaporeans, we examined the associations of the pandemic with healthcare utilization, out-of-pocket medical costs, and perceived health. At its peak, doctor visits decreased by 30% and out-of-pocket medical spending decreased by 23%, mostly driven by reductions in inpatient and outpatient care. Although there were little changes in self-reported health and sleep quality, COVID–19 increased depressive symptoms by 4%. We argue that it is imperative to monitor COVID–19's long-term health effects among non-COVID–19 patients since our findings indicated delayed healthcare and worsened mental health during the outbreak.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahn, SangNam & Kim, Seonghoon & Koh, Kanghyock, 2020. "Changes in Healthcare Utilization, Spending, and Perceived Health during COVID–19: A Longitudinal Study from Singapore," IZA Discussion Papers 13715, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13715
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kim, Seonghoon & Koh, Kanghyock & Zhang, Xuan, 2020. "Short-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Consumption and Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from Singapore," IZA Discussion Papers 13354, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Adam Brzezinski & Valentin Kecht & David Van Dijcke & Austin L. Wright, 2020. "Belief in Science Influences Physical Distancing in Response to COVID-19 Lockdown Policies," Working Papers 2020-56, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.
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    Cited by:

    1. Péter Elek & Anikó Bíró & Petra Fadgyas‐Freyler, 2021. "Income gradient of pharmaceutical panic buying at the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(9), pages 2312-2320, September.
    2. Bayu Begashaw Bekele & Bahaa Aldin Alhaffar & Rahul Naresh Wasnik & János Sándor, 2022. "The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Social Inequalities of Health Care Use in Hungary: A Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-16, February.
    3. Dupuy, Jules & Barnay, Thomas & Defebvre, Eric, 2024. "Clear as a bell? Policy stringency and elderly health during Covid-19," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 349(C).
    4. Boram Sim & Eun Woo Nam, 2022. "The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Outpatient Visits for All-Cause and Chronic Diseases in Korea: A Nationwide Population-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-10, May.
    5. Cheng, Terence Chai & Kim, Seonghoon & Koh, Kanghyock, 2020. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Subjective Well-Being: Evidence from Singapore," IZA Discussion Papers 13702, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Shoaib, Mohd & Mustafee, Navonil & Madan, Karan & Ramamohan, Varun, 2023. "Leveraging multi-tier healthcare facility network simulations for capacity planning in a pandemic," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    self-reported health status; healthcare spending; healthcare utilization; pandemic; COVID-19; mental health;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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