Pandemic boosting healthcare consumerism, CVS Health finds

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The lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are many, and one side effect of the public health crisis is that the trend of consumerism in healthcare has accelerated, with more people taking control of their own care, according to the 2021 Health Care Insights Study conducted by insurer and retailer CVS Health.

It involved 1,000 consumers and 400 providers, who were surveyed on the state of healthcare and how they're navigating this evolving landscape.

People are starting to seek new avenues of care, using the last year as an opportunity to work on health goals and reexamine priorities, results showed. In fact, 77% of people said the COVID-19 pandemic has led them to pay more attention to their health in general, and 50% indicated previous stay-at-home orders helped them achieve their health goals.

Even as access to health insurance coverage (55%) and location of care (43%) remain among the top factors that influence consumer healthcare decisions, more people are exploring different avenues of care. For example, the study reveals shifts in the way people prefer to receive routine care, with a slight movement away from primary care providers to other healthcare resources. 

Routine care from PCPs has dropped since last year (56% vs. 62% in 2020), and the use of online resources (19% vs. 12%), community health centers (19% vs. 15%), and local pharmacies (17% vs. 11%) has grown in preference.

However, the results also showed that people have been struggling. Social isolation and economic uncertainty, among other pandemic-related factors, have impacted peoples' mental health and wellbeing. The data points to a lack of resources and support for vulnerable populations, with increased levels of substance use. Consumers reported an uptake in the use of nicotine (21%), alcohol (20%) and opioids (10%) this past year.

In addition to increased substance use, feelings of stress have been pervasive, especially for men. Men reported slightly higher levels of stress compared to female respondents over the significant shifts that took place during quarantine. For example, 70% of men, compared to 59% of women, said the COVID-19 pandemic had a high or moderate impact on stress related to caring for children who live in the home. While men reported higher levels of stress related to the household, women weren't as happy with their level of social connection. Only 68% of women said they were happy with their social connection, compared to 80% of men.

Not surprisingly, young adults (18-34 years old) were most impacted by the pandemic and were the most likely age group to report depression (35%), as well as a higher rate of mental illness (28%), compared to all respondents (23%). Despite the pandemic's impact on mental health, 74% did not seek mental health services. The data shows this gap is due to costly care. Some 28% of consumers said they did not visit a mental or behavioral health specialist when they needed support due to costs.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT?

The study contained a number of other findings. The use of virtual tools, for example, surged during the pandemic, likely due in part to social distancing requirements. More than half of consumers (57%) indicated they had used virtual care for a healthcare visit. Providers also indicated having access to virtual visits (72%) and telehealth (71%) would be very or somewhat valuable for their patients in terms of communication.

The data also showed there are gender differences in how men and women interact with their healthcare. Women more than men typically use nurse practitioners to get any type of health information (27% vs. 21%), and more women want their PCPs to be aware of their lifestyle choices, specifically their alcohol use, compared to men (86% vs. 79%). Annual checkups are a more likely reason for women (73%) than for men (58%) to communicate with their PCP, suggesting men need to take a more proactive role in their health around a yearly visit.

Meanwhile, providers can play a role in healthcare affordability for their patients. More than half of consumers (61%) said their providers have not asked about affordability of healthcare or discussed resources to assist with costs. One quarter of respondents said they had low or no familiarity with the out-of-pocket costs they pay for medical care. Another 23% said they do not understand how to look at their health plan to understand out-of-pocket costs.

THE LARGER TREND

As of Tuesday, there were 187,453,777 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the world, including more than 33.8 million in the U.S., which leads the world. The U.S. also leads the world in virus-related deaths, with 607,486, according to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker. 

India is second in the world in terms of cases, with more than 30.9 million, while Brazil comes in third at roughly 19 million. Brazil has recorded the second-highest number of deaths, at more than 534,000, while India has the third-highest death rate, with more than 410,000.

ON THE RECORD

"Over the past year and a half, we have witnessed a dramatic shift in consumer healthcare preferences and needs," said CVS Health president and CEO Karen S. Lynch. "These shifts toward personalized care have the potential to impact our healthcare system well past the pandemic, with many people taking a more engaged approach to their own health. Going forward, we have an opportunity to take what we've learned and continue to foster an integrated health model that is centered around the needs of the individual."
 

Twitter: @JELagasse
Email the writer: jeff.lagasse@himssmedia.com