IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/eujoag/v19y2022i4d10.1007_s10433-021-00631-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Access to healthcare for people aged 50+ in Europe during the COVID-19 outbreak

Author

Listed:
  • Šime Smolić

    (University of Zagreb)

  • Ivan Čipin

    (University of Zagreb)

  • Petra Međimurec

    (University of Zagreb)

Abstract

This paper combines SHARE Corona Survey and SHARE Wave 7 data for 25 European countries and Israel (N = 40,919) with institutional and epidemic-related country characteristics to investigate healthcare access for Europeans aged 50+ during the outbreak of COVID-19. We use a micro–macro approach to examine whether and to what extent barriers to accessing healthcare measured by reported unmet healthcare needs vary within and between countries. We consider various aspects of barriers and distinguish among: (1) respondents who forewent medical treatment because they were afraid of becoming infected with the Coronavirus; (2) respondents who had pre-scheduled medical appointments postponed by health providers due to the outbreak; and (3) respondents who tried to arrange a medical appointment but were denied one. Limited access to healthcare during the initial outbreak was more common for the occupationally active, women, the more educated and those living in urban areas. A bad economic situation, poor overall health and higher healthcare utilisation were robust predictors of unmet healthcare. People aged 50+ in countries of ‘Old’ Europe, countries with higher universal health coverage and stricter containment and closure policies were more likely to have medical services postponed. Policymakers should address the healthcare needs of older people with chronic health conditions and a poor socio-economic status who were made more vulnerable by this pandemic. In the aftermath of the health crisis, public health systems might experience a great revival in healthcare demand, a challenge that should be mitigated by careful planning and provision of healthcare services.

Suggested Citation

  • Šime Smolić & Ivan Čipin & Petra Međimurec, 2022. "Access to healthcare for people aged 50+ in Europe during the COVID-19 outbreak," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 793-809, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eujoag:v:19:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s10433-021-00631-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10433-021-00631-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10433-021-00631-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10433-021-00631-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Srakar Andrej & Hren Rok & Rupel Valentina Prevolnik, 2016. "Health Services Utilization in Older Europeans: an Empirical Study," Organizacija, Sciendo, vol. 49(2), pages 127-136, May.
    2. Sabine Chaupain-Guillot & Olivier Guillot, 2015. "Health system characteristics and unmet care needs in Europe: an analysis based on EU-SILC data," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 16(7), pages 781-796, September.
    3. Maria Iacovou & Alexandra J. Skew, 2011. "Household composition across the new Europe: Where do the new Member States fit in?," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 25(14), pages 465-490.
    4. Elena Pirani & Silvana Salvini, 2012. "Socioeconomic Inequalities and Self-Rated Health: A Multilevel Study of Italian Elderly," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 31(1), pages 97-117, February.
    5. Cutler, David M. & Lleras-Muney, Adriana, 2010. "Understanding differences in health behaviors by education," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 1-28, January.
    6. Allin, S. & Masseria, C. & Mossialos, E., 2009. "Measuring socioeconomic differences in use of health care services by wealth versus by income," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 99(10), pages 1849-1855.
    7. Allin, Sara & Grignon, Michel & Le Grand, Julian, 2010. "Subjective unmet need and utilization of health care services in Canada: What are the equity implications?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(3), pages 465-472, February.
    8. Ko, Hansoo, 2016. "Unmet healthcare needs and health status: Panel evidence from Korea," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(6), pages 646-653.
    9. Uwe E. Reinhardt, 2000. "Health Care for the Aging Baby Boom: Lessons from Abroad," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 14(2), pages 71-83, Spring.
    10. Cylus, Jonathan & Papanicolas, Irene, 2015. "An analysis of perceived access to health care in Europe: How universal is universal coverage?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(9), pages 1133-1144.
    11. Luigi Siciliani & Rossella Verzulli, 2009. "Waiting times and socioeconomic status among elderly Europeans: evidence from SHARE," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 18(11), pages 1295-1306, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Veronika Kočiš Krůtilová & Lewe Bahnsen, 2021. "Cost-Induced Unmet Need for Health Care among Europe's Older Adults - The Role of Specific Diseases," European Journal of Business Science and Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Business and Economics, vol. 7(2), pages 210-222.
    2. Carlota Quintal & Luis Moura Ramos & Micaela Antunes & Óscar Lourenço, 2023. "Unmet healthcare needs among the population aged 50+ and their association with health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Setti Rais Ali & Paul Dourgnon & Lise Rochaix, 2018. "Social Capital or Education: What Matters Most to Cut Time to Diagnosis?," Working Papers halshs-01703170, HAL.
    4. Damiano Fiorillo, 2020. "Reasons for unmet needs for health care: the role of social capital and social support in some western EU countries," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 79-98, March.
    5. Connolly, Sheelah & Wren, Maev-Ann, 2017. "Unmet healthcare needs in Ireland: Analysis using the EU-SILC survey," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(4), pages 434-441.
    6. Carnazza, Giovanni & Liberati, Paolo & Resce, Giuliano, 2023. "Income-related unmet needs in the European countries," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    7. Jens Hoebel & Alexander Rommel & Sara Lena Schröder & Judith Fuchs & Enno Nowossadeck & Thomas Lampert, 2017. "Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health and Perceived Unmet Needs for Healthcare among the Elderly in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-18, September.
    8. Natasa Popovic & Zorica Terzic-Supic & Snezana Simic & Biljana Mladenovic, 2017. "Predictors of unmet health care needs in Serbia; Analysis based on EU-SILC data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(11), pages 1-20, November.
    9. Landi, Stefano & Ivaldi, Enrico & Testi, Angela, 2018. "Socioeconomic status and waiting times for health services: An international literature review and evidence from the Italian National Health System," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(4), pages 334-351.
    10. Silvia Angerer & Christian Waibel & Harald Stummer, 2019. "Discrimination in Health Care: A Field Experiment on the Impact of Patients’ Socioeconomic Status on Access to Care," American Journal of Health Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 5(4), pages 407-427, Fall.
    11. Louis Arnault & Florence Jusot & Thomas Renaud, 2022. "Economic vulnerability and unmet healthcare needs among the population aged 50 + years during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 811-825, December.
    12. Quintal, Carlota & Lourenço, Óscar & Ramos, Luís Moura & Antunes, Micaela, 2019. "No unmet needs without needs! Assessing the role of social capital using data from European social survey 2014," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(8), pages 747-755.
    13. Md. Mizanur Rahman & Megumi Rosenberg & Gabriela Flores & Nadia Parsell & Shamima Akter & Md Ashraful Alam & Md. Mahfuzur Rahman & Tessa Edejer, 2022. "A systematic review and meta-analysis of unmet needs for healthcare and long-term care among older people," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    14. Başar, Dilek & Dikmen, Fatih Hakan & Öztürk, Selcen, 2021. "The prevalence and determinants of unmet health care needs in Turkey," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(6), pages 786-792.
    15. Jens Detollenaere & Lise Hanssens & Veerle Vyncke & Jan De Maeseneer & Sara Willems, 2017. "Do We Reap What We Sow? Exploring the Association between the Strength of European Primary Healthcare Systems and Inequity in Unmet Need," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, January.
    16. Ramos, Luís Moura & Quintal, Carlota & Lourenço, Óscar & Antunes, Micaela, 2019. "Unmet needs across Europe: Disclosing knowledge beyond the ordinary measure," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(12), pages 1155-1162.
    17. Yardim, Mahmut S. & Uner, Sarp, 2018. "Equity in access to care in the era of health system reforms in Turkey," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(6), pages 645-651.
    18. Meghisan-Toma Georgeta-Madalina & Toma Dorin, 2019. "Health Determinants and Unmet Needs for Health Care- towards e-Health Systems," Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, Sciendo, vol. 13(1), pages 1045-1057, May.
    19. Resul Cesur & Naci H. Mocan, 2013. "Does Secular Education Impact Religiosity, Electoral Participation and the Propensity to Vote for Islamic Parties? Evidence from an Education Reform in a Muslim Country," NBER Working Papers 19769, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    20. Dalton, Patricio S. & Nhung, Nguyen & Rüschenpöhler, Julius, 2020. "Worries of the poor: The impact of financial burden on the risk attitudes of micro-entrepreneurs," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:eujoag:v:19:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s10433-021-00631-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.