Today, we’re speaking to Marije Splinter, an epidemiologist and sociologist based at the Department of Epidemiology at Erasmus University Medical Centre in the Netherlands. 

Title of paper: Healthcare avoidance during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and all-cause mortality: a longitudinal community-based study

Available at: https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGP.2023.0637

During the COVID-19 pandemic, trends of reduced healthcare-seeking behaviour were observed alongside global patterns of excess mortality, raising concerns about the consequences of healthcare avoidance for population health. This study found that individuals who avoided healthcare during COVID-19 were at an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Importantly, these individuals were characterised by underlying symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as poor self-appreciated health. The findings of this study emphasise the need for targeted interventions to safeguard access to primary and specialist care for these vulnerable individuals, during and beyond healthcare crises.