Health Service Engagement In Scotland During And After The Pandemic

Citation

McGregor L, Brown T & Douglas E (2022) Health Service Engagement In Scotland During And After The Pandemic [HAGIS COVID-19 AND YOU: IMPACT AND RECOVERY STUDY]. UKRI. Stirling. https://www.hagis.scot/_files/ugd/5d9fd0_381d4f906fca4e92bf51ffe314087269.pdf

Abstract
This report describes engagement with health services of older adults living in Scotland during the pandemic and looking to the future. A sample of older people (aged >50) responded to an invitation to take part in a survey on the impact of and recovery from Covid-19. Data were collected between October 2021 – January 2022 using electronic and postal self-complete interviews and telephone -assisted personal interviews. From a target sample of 15,674 older people, 3393 (41% men, 59% women) respondents completed the survey, of which 2,687 respondents completed the health module questions. We asked people about their engagement with health services since the start of the pandemic. The sample was in general good health with half of the sample reporting that they contacted the health services the same amount during the pandemic as before. In general, the sample was mainly female, married, well-educated, retired, living in least deprived areas of Scotland, and self-identified as Scottish or British. The vast majority were double vaccinated against Covid-19 and had not shielded during the pandemic. Forty percent of people experienced a delay or cancellation of their medical care; this was predominantly in dental and general practitioner services. Health service delay and cancellation was largely due to service provider issues; individual level concerns over Covid-19 were not indicated as a common reason. The majority of older adults surveyed, did not have concerns regarding Covid-19 when engaging with health services. Worry about catching Covid-19 did not prevent older adults from attempting to engage with health services.