Factors Affecting Older Adults’ Experience of Unmet Healthcare Needs in Korea Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Unmet healthcare need is a critical indicator, showing a plausible picture of how the healthcare system works in the unprecedented pandemic situation. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with unmet healthcare needs among the older Korean population amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional data were used from the Experience Survey on Healthcare Use of Older Adults during the COVID-19 (COVID-19 Survey) in Korea (n=1917). Our main outcome, unmet healthcare need, was measured based on self-reported experience of overall, regular, and irregular outpatient care services-related unmet healthcare needs. Using multiple logistic regression models, we identified a good understanding of the nation’s health system was associated with a lower likelihood of all types of unmet healthcare needs among older Korean adults (OR: 0.390, p<0.001; OR: 0.360, p<0.001; OR: 0.413, p<0.01) in addition to the lowest educational attainment. Decreased social activities (i.e., shopping and visiting family members) and worsen psychological health issues (i.e., more anxious & nervous, more sad & depressed, and more sleep difficulty) were also factors affecting overall and irregular outpatient services-related unmet healthcare needs. Moreover, decreased household income after the pandemic was related to older adults’ experience of overall unmet healthcare need (OR:1.659, p<0.05). To ensure timely access to necessary healthcare services in the era of the COVID-19 outbreak, eliminating the identified barriers to healthcare services among older adults needs to be prioritized for national health policies.