A: No, you are not alone.
Over half of those surveyed who needed to seek medical care during early the months of 2020 missed getting that care.
In a national survey of 1337 people, 41% said they skipped general medical care from March through mid-July 2020. Numbers were even higher for people who needed specific medical attention.
Of those in need of care, 52% skipped for a variety of reasons. Here are the details of the survey:
63% said a medical practice was closed temporarily or permanently
57% feared COVID-19 exposure
7% named financial reasons
The types of care missed:
29% missed a preventive care visit
26% missed an outpatient general medical appointment
8% missed one or more doses of a prescription medicine typically picked up from a retail pharmacy
8% missed an outpatient mental health appointment
6% missed an elective surgery
3% did not receive health care for a new severe mental or physical health issue
Researchers looked separately at those who reported “needing care.” The survey revealed:
60% with a scheduled elective surgical procedure missed it
58% missed scheduled preventative care
51% with a severe mental or physical health issue that emerged after the start of the pandemic forwent care
50% missed general medical care
46% with scheduled mental health care reported missing visits
15% didn’t pick up a prescription and missed one or more doses
We are getting out more. As more medical facilities open, this is a good time to catch up with your preventative care. See the health wellness document below to track preventative care for adults, adolescents, and children.
California Health & Wellness Preventive Screening Guidelines
