CVS Health released their 2021 Health Care Insights Study, which sought to study the long-lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients, providers, and the health care system as a whole.
The study discovered that 77% of people said the pandemic caused them to pay more attention to their health, and 50% said that quarantine actually helped them reach their health goals.
Despite this, individuals reported increased use of nicotine (21%), alcohol (20%), and opioids (10%) in the past year. In addition, men reported higher levels of stress compared to women during quarantine.
Young adults (18-34 years old) were also affected by the pandemic and turned out to be the most likely age group to report depression. Half of the young people involved in the study also said they were likely to delay care based on cost.
The mental health of young adults also proved to be a common concern, with 46% of health providers admitting that mental health was one thing that concerned them for their patients during the pandemic and quarantine.
85% of study participants said that health care costs are very/somewhat important when it comes to their health. From the provider’s viewpoint, 40% said the lack of insurance networks or coverage, financial security, and drug pricing was a challenge for their patients.
Using this study, CVS Health is hopeful that they, along with other healthcare professionals, will be able to push forward with improvements to the health care system that will benefit everyone.
“Over the past year and a half, we have witnessed a dramatic shift in consumer health care preferences and needs,” notes CVS Health President and CEO Karen S. Lynch. “These shifts toward personalized care have the potential to impact our health care 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.”
