Avoidance of Emergency Care in the Southeastern United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Erin Gettler; Rebecca Stern; Bin Ni; Heather M Munro; Mark Steinwandel; David M Aronoff; Deepak K Gupta; Maureen Sanderson; Martha J Shrubsole; Loren Lipworth

doi:10.1093/ofid/ofac161

Avoidance of Emergency Care in the Southeastern United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Open Forum Infect Dis. 2022 Apr 8;9(5):ofac161. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofac161. eCollection 2022 May.

Authors

Erin Gettler¹, Rebecca Stern², Bin Ni², Heather M Munro³, Mark Steinwandel³, David M Aronoff⁴, Deepak K Gupta^{5

6}, Maureen Sanderson⁷, Martha J Shrubsole⁸, Loren Lipworth^{6

8}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
² Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
³ Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁴ Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
⁵ Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁶ Vanderbilt Translational and Clinical Cardiovascular Research Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁷ Department of Family and Community Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁸ Division of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Abstract

In a low-income cohort in the Southeastern United States, 5% of participants avoided emergency medical care during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, primarily due to fear and visitor restrictions. Younger age, self-perceived lower health status, lack of a personal doctor, and decreased income were associated with greater likelihood of deferring emergency care.

Keywords: COVID-19; disruption; emergency care; low income.