Monthly Trends in Access to Care and Mental Health Services by Household Income Level During the COVID-19 Pandemic, United States, April: December 2020

Abstract

Purpose: Since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in March 2020, ∼40% of U.S. adults have experienced delayed medical care. Rates of uninsurance, delayed care, and utilization of mental health services during the course of the pandemic have not been analyzed in detail. We examined monthly trends and disparities in access to care by household income levels in the United States. Methods: Using Census Bureau's nationally representative pooled 2020 Household Pulse Survey from April to December, 2020 (N=778,819), logistic regression models were used to analyze trends and inequalities in various access to care measures. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the odds of being uninsured, having a delayed medical care due to pandemic, delayed care of something other than COVID-19, or delayed mental health care were, respectively, 5.54, 1.50, 1.85, and 2.18 times higher for adults with income <$25,000, compared to those with incomes ≥$200,000, controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, housing tenure, region of residence, and survey month. Income inequities in mental health care widened over the course of the pandemic, while the probability of delayed mental health care increased for all income groups. Although the odds of taking prescription medication for mental health were higher for low-income adults, the odds of receiving mental health services were generally lower for lower income adults, controlling for all covariates. Conclusion: In light of our findings on persistent health care inequities during the pandemic, increased policy efforts are needed to improve access to care in low-income populations as an equitable COVID-19 recovery response.

Keywords: COVID-19; access to care; delayed medical care due to pandemic; income inequalities; mental health services; trend.

FIG. 1.

Trends in health care access by household income during the COVID-19 pandemic, April–December 2020 HPS. Figures show monthly trends in the weighted proportions of being uninsured (n=674,381), Delayed medical care due to pandemic (n=673,352), delayed care of something other than COVID-19 (n=673,803), delayed mental health care (n=366,399), taking prescription medication on mental health (n=366,228), and receiving mental health service (n=366,183) for adults aged 18 and older. Data derived from the April to December 2020 HPS. COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; HPS, Household Pulse Survey.