Delayed and Forgone Health Care for Nonelderly Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Skip to main content
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  • Our Vision
    • Our Vision Overview
    • Why Health Equity
    • Focus Areas
    • Measuring RWJF Progress
  • Grants
    • Grants Overview
    • Active Funding Opportunities
    • Awarded Grants
    • Grantee Stories
    • Grant Process
    • Grantee Resources
  • Insights
    • Insights Overview
    • Blog
    • Our Research
    • Advocacy And Policy
  • About RWJF
    • About RWJF Overview
    • Our Guiding Principles
    • How We Work
    • Impact Investments
    • Staff And Trustees
    • Newsroom
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
Find A Grant

Delayed and Forgone Health Care for Nonelderly Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Brief Feb-01-2021 | Gonzalez D, Karpman M, Zuckerman S | 1-min read
  1. Insights
  2. Our Research
  3. Delayed and Forgone Health Care for Nonelderly Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Download brief Download summary
Empty physician's office.

Fears of exposure to the coronavirus, coupled with providers limiting services in response to the pandemic, drove adults and children in the United States to delay or forgo needed medical care.

 

The Issue

The pandemic has caused parents and children to miss out on a range of health care needs, and parents in lower-income families are delaying or forgoing care for their children at higher rates than those in higher-income families. Concern over the effects of these gaps in care are rising.

 

Key Findings


 

  • One-third of adults (32.6%) who reported delaying or forgoing care said one or more of their health conditions worsened as a result, or their ability to work or perform other daily activities was limited. 
  • Black adults were more likely than white or Hispanic/Latinx adults to report delaying or forgoing care (39.7% versus 34.3% and 35.5%) and more likely to report delaying or forgoing multiple types of care (28.5% versus 21.1% and 22.3%).
  • 28.8 percent of parents reported their children had delayed or missed one or more types of health care due to the pandemic.

 

Conclusion

Missing out on health care worsens health conditions in adults and threatens children’s health, development, and well-being and can impair their abilities to participate fully in school and reach their potential. Efforts to ensure families have access to affordable health care can mitigate the impact of these lapses in care, and also help guarantee socioeconomic inequities in children's health and well-being are not exacerbated even further.


About the Urban Institute

The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center for more information specific to its staff and its recent research.

Related Content

Brief

Confronting COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Nonelderly Adults

Research suggests that more than one-third of nonelderly adults may be unlikely to get a COVID-19 vaccine, with rates of hesitancy particularly high among Black adults.

1-min read

Health Disparities
  • About this Grant
SHOW MORE
+

SHARE

Subscribe to receive Funding Alerts & more

Explore the latest in reflection and research from subject matter experts at RWJF and our wide network of partners.

Email address already subscribed. Please check your inbox to manage your subscriptions.

Subscribed!

Thank you. You are now subscribed.

Tell us what type of content you want to receive.

Be informed with our weekly newsletter updating you with relevant news and research around a Culture of Health, as well as the latest funding opportunities.

Get funded by RWJF: Receive notifications when new funding opportunities are released.

Receive monthly updates on RWJF-sponsored research that informs many robust health policy debates on Capitol Hill, covering topics like health equity, improving access to quality healthcare, equitable housing, and more.

Shop talk for researchers. This monthly newsletter covers research news and opportunities from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Sometimes we have news, announcements or opportunities that don't quite fit the subscription parameters above. If you're interested, we'll send you this information under "There's more...". *If you've indicated you are an EU resident, we will only send these communications if you intentionally check this box.

Yes! I want to tell you more about myself and receive personalized communications in the future.

Area(s) Of Interest

Which profession or pursuit best describes you?

Unsubscribe

Stop receiving all emails from RWJF

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
  • CONTACT RWJF

    50 College Road East

    Princeton, NJ 08540-6614

     

    US Toll Free: (877) 843-7953

    International: +1 (609) 627-6000

  • MANAGE YOUR GRANTS

    MyRWJF Login

    • Twitter link
    • Facebook link
    • LinkedIn link
    • YouTube link

  • Our Vision
    • Our Vision Overview
    • Why Health Equity
    • Focus Areas
    • Measuring RWJF Progress
  • Grants
    • Grants Overview
    • Active Funding Opportunities
    • Awarded Grants
    • Grantee Stories
    • Grant Process
    • Grantee Resources
  • Insights
    • Insights Overview
    • Blog
    • Our Research
    • Advocacy And Policy
  • About RWJF
    • About RWJF Overview
    • Our Guiding Principles
    • How We Work
    • Impact Investments
    • Staff And Trustees
    • Newsroom
    • Careers
    • Contact Us

©2001- 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 

 

  • Manage Email
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms and Conditions