Heart risk and cancer screenings remain depressed since the pandemic
February 13, 2024
Figure 1: Portion of eligible adults receiving cardiovascular risk factor screening in 2019 and 2021
Figure 2: Portion of eligible adults receiving cancer screening in 2019 and 2021
Source: Alba, et al JAMA Health Forum, February 2, 2024 LINK
Researchers in JAMA Health Forum estimated preventive health screenings in 2019 and 2021 using the National Health Interview Survey results, which included almost 90,000 adults. The results were weighted to generate national representative estimates.
They found that 2% fewer people had wellness visits in 2021 compared to 2019; the declines were most prominent among Asian adults. Five percent fewer people had blood pressure and blood sugar checks, and 7% fewer people had cholesterol checks. Colorectal cancer screenings were down 12%, cervical cancer screening was down 14%, and breast cancer screening was down 7%. Cancer screenings were down disproportionately among Black and Hispanic people. The researchers included data on prostate cancer screening which was also down 14%, but I have omitted this from the graphic as it is not recommended for the population by the US Preventive Services Task Force.
There was one positive finding in this study. Surveys showed that financial barriers to care declined, perhaps because of the decrease in the rate of people without health insurance during this time period.
Implications for employers:
Fewer cancer screening tests led to lower medical costs during the pandemic, but we will likely see higher rates of diagnosis of more advanced cancer in the future.
Fewer blood pressure checks could mean more cardiovascular disease, the top cause of death in the US.
Employers play an important role in encouraging evidence-based preventive care.
Employers that are effective at increasing preventive care can decrease the likelihood of preventable premature disability or death, even if this extra preventive care does not lower overall medical claims costs.
Thanks for reading. You can find previous posts in the Employer Coverage archive
Please “like” and suggest this newsletter to friends and colleagues. Thanks!
Tomorrow: New statistics on decline in cancer diagnosis during the pandemic