Report: Victorians delaying medical care secondary to Covid-19 concerns

A recent report by Monash University reveals that one-third of Victorian adults have delayed or avoided medical care, while 10% have avoided urgent or emergency care due to Covid-19 concerns.

These findings, which have been published in the journal, Respirology, are based on an online survey administered to a state-wide sample of Victorian-based residents in September 2020, with the results also revealing increased levels of care avoidance among people with disabilities, those with underlying medical conditions and unpaid caregivers.

“Avoidance of urgent or emergency medical care may be harmful, and possibly even life threatening. People experiencing a medical emergency should seek and be provided care without delay,” says Mark Czeisler a PhD student from Monash University’s Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and co-author of the study.

“We hope that these findings will motivate public health and medical institutions to enhance health promotion messaging efforts and inform tailored communications for disproportionately affected groups: people with disabilities, people with underlying health conditions, and unpaid caregivers.”

Associate Professor Mark Howard from Austin Health says that waiting to receive care or not seeking care at all can have significant short- and long-term health impacts for patients.

“It’s still safe to come to hospital for treatment so the message in all of this is very simple – please seek the care you need as soon as you need it,” underscores Associate Professor Howard.

“We know of cases where people have delayed coming to hospitals with conditions as serious as chest pain which have resulted in far worse health outcomes.

“But the effect of patients missing appointments for chronic conditions also has long term implications, ultimately leading to these conditions worsening and requiring additional support and care,” he says.

Read the full paper in Respirology titled: Delay or Avoidance of Routine, Urgent and Emergency Medical Care due to Concerns About COVID-19 Prevalence: Victoria, Australia.