During the pandemic, both children and adults have avoided seeking medical care due to concerns about contracting the coronavirus, according to a number of studies. University of Oregon students are among many who have missed out on important preventative and diagnostic care.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published findings in September that many Americans — from children to adults — are not seeking medical assistance due to concerns regarding COVID-19, which the center said could have serious medical consequences.
The article stated that about 41% of adults in the U.S. had delayed or avoided seeking medical care due to concerns related to the coronavirus as of June. Of the 41%, 12% had avoided urgent or emergency care.
The CDC added that “delayed or avoided medical care might increase morbidity and mortality associated with both chronic and acute health conditions.” It encouraged options like telehealth and said people experiencing emergencies should always seek care, even during the pandemic.
In October, the Center for Translational Neuroscience at UO published an article about the interrupted healthcare of young children during the pandemic. Children’s wellness visits and vaccinations are “core components of preventive healthcare in the U.S.,” according to the article.
The article was published as part of the RAPID-EC Project, or the Rapid Assessment of Pandemic Impact on Development Early Childhood Household Survey Project. The project is designed to gather information “regarding the needs, health promoting behaviors and well-being of children and their families during the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States,” according to its webpage.
“Many children are continuing to miss wellness checks and scheduled vaccinations as the pandemic continues,” it said, especially older children between 18 months and five years old.
Concerns about contracting COVID-19 are a primary obstacle for caregivers.
The CDC article and the RAPID-EC Project article both stated that Black and Hispanic populations are more likely to miss wellness checks and avoid seeking care. The RAPID-EC project also said “lower-income children were significantly more likely to miss wellness visits and vaccinations” than middle- or upper-income children.
“If barriers to childhood preventative health measures are not addressed as the coronavirus pandemic continues,” the RAPID-EC Project warned, “we are likely to see many children experience serious health consequences.”
Since the beginning of the pandemic, UO senior Francesca Muchow has avoided medical facilities due to coronavirus-related concerns. She even canceled preexisting appointments.
Muchow was concerned for her own safety, she said, but she also wanted to avoid going when many facilities were already overwhelmed with coronavirus patients.
Although case numbers are still growing nationally and locally, Muchow said she feels more comfortable with the idea of seeking care because the majority of people understand coronavirus guidelines better now than they did earlier in the pandemic — herself included.
“I go to the grocery store and things like that, and it’s probably more safe to go to a medical facility considering all of the precautions they’re taking,” Muchow said.
She’ll continue to feel more comfortable as more groups of people receive the vaccine, she said.
The only service Muchow went in for was a test for COVID-19, she said. Otherwise, she spoke to providers virtually.
Virtual platforms have worked well for mental health services, she said, but discussing physical health was more difficult.
“It definitely wasn’t the same as going in,” Muchow said.
Another senior at UO, Adriana Flowers, said telehealth appointments have worked well for services like therapy and general check-ups. However, there are some things that can’t be done remotely.
Flowers said she started feeling pain in her stomach in the fall, and thought she’d be able to avoid going to the doctor. She held off on seeking care as long as she could, but said she eventually started feeling really sick and had to make an appointment.
“I only go in if I really have to,” she said.
After going to the hospital for a procedure in September, Flowers said she felt fairly comfortable about the coronavirus safety measures before and after the appointment.
Since then, Flowers has utilized telehealth options, but gone to health appointments and urgent care when necessary. She said she will wait for healthcare officials to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine more widely before she makes appointments that are less urgent, she said, such as at the dentist.
“I haven’t sought care for things like that until the last minute,” Flowers said, “and I don’t plan to until maybe late January or February.”