Individuals with more underlying chronic health conditions
were more likely to delay or avoid medical care
OAKLAND,
Calif., May 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- At the height
of the pandemic, individuals were asked to delay preventive care
and elective procedures to alleviate incidences of community
transmission. Many employers are now understandably concerned about
the costs of delayed care, and the impact this has had on those
with chronic conditions that may have gone untreated over the past
three years. In an effort to understand who is delaying care and
why they have delayed care, health and productivity research
non-profit Integrated Benefits Institute surveyed 5,003 employed
individuals in the US.
IBI's survey found that less than three-fourths of employees are
up to date on preventive screenings and immunizations. Fifty-eight
percent of employees delayed necessary medical care due to cost or
insurance barriers, 42% reported delays because there wasn't an
appointment available, and 35% delayed or avoided care due to fear
of getting or spreading COVID-19.
Among those who are not up to date on preventive screenings,
individuals' top reasons were that it wasn't necessary because "I'm
young and healthy" (17%), and due to costs/can't afford (14%). The
top reasons cited for not being up to date on immunizations were
that they don't like shots/don't want them/don't trust them (37%),
and that they aren't necessary because "I have a strong immune
system" (15%).
Surprisingly, regardless of sociodemographics, individuals with
more chronic conditions were more likely to delay care. Sixty-nine
percent of individuals with 3 or more chronic conditions delayed
care due cost/insurance barriers, compared to 51% with no chronic
conditions. However, those with chronic conditions are also more
likely to be up to date on preventive care.
Additional findings include:
- Individuals with co-morbid anxiety and depression are least
likely to be up to date on preventive screenings or adult
immunizations.
- Rural areas have lower rates of preventive care: 55% of
individuals in rural areas are up to date on preventive screenings,
compared to 61% in urban areas. Sixty percent of individuals in
rural areas are up to date on adult immunizations, compared to 69%
in urban areas.
- Individuals with higher income and higher education are more
likely to be up to date on preventive screenings and
immunizations.
- Having children in the household was associated with higher
rates of preventive screenings and adult immunizations.
- Older respondents were less likely to delay or avoid medical
care for any reason.
IBI spoke with two HR executives from large national and global
companies about the effects of delayed care among their employees.
Some important themes came up:
Ask why employees are delaying care: Any delays in
treatment may exacerbate symptoms and make treatment more
difficult, both of which increase the cost of treatment. This makes
tracking rates of delayed care important for employers, so they can
both encourage employees to get the treatment they need, as well as
budget for healthcare costs going forward.
Acknowledge the impact of mental health: Mental health
conditions often occur with other chronic conditions such as
diabetes, obesity, and asthma, and can impact patients' ability to
adhere to treatment recommendations for other physical health
conditions.
Improve access to care where barriers exist: A key
barrier to timely healthcare is cost, especially now with inflation
impacting the price of everything from groceries to transportation,
and high-deductible health plans can cause major challenges for
affordability. To address accessibility challenges, employers are
utilizing mobile clinics to meet employees wherever they are.
Create a culture that encourages seeking care: Employers
can utilize specific employees as champions for benefit programs
and encouraging healthful behaviors. Managers can be trained to
encourage conversations around healthcare and wellbeing. Having
managers that are well-equipped to deal with staff health concerns
is key to moving the company culture in the right direction.
For more information the report and infographic are available
upon request, please contact Jennifer
Santisi at jsantisi@ibiweb.org.
About Integrated Benefits Institute
The Integrated Benefit Institute's independent research,
industry-leading tools and data resources help companies link
health-related programs to the outcomes that maximize the
contributions of people to productivity and business performance.
Founded in 1995, IBI is a national nonprofit research organization
and business association serving 1,200 employer and supplier
members and their 22 million employees. For additional information,
please visit www.ibiweb.org and follow us
on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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SOURCE Integrated Benefits Institute