Newswise, May 6, 2016--Military veterans are more likely to
report delays in seeking necessary healthcare, compared to the US general
population, reports a study in theJournal of
Public Health Management and Practice. The journal is published byWolters Kluwer.
Such self-reported care delays may be related to having
Veterans Administration (VA) health coverage—and to long waiting times in the
VA system, according to the study by Doohee Lee, PhD, of Marshall University,
South Charleston, W.V., and Charles Begley, PhD, of the University of Texas
School of Public Health, Houston.
"Access problems within the VA system may be creating
disparities in care for this vulnerable and deserving population that need to
be mitigated," the researchers write.
Veterans Report More Delays in Healthcare
Drs. Lee and Begley performed a secondary analysis of data from a nationally representative survey, performed in 2010-11, to assess delays in seeking healthcare, in the US population overall and among military veterans in particular. About 11,000 Americans were asked if they had "put off or postponed getting medical care they thought they needed" anytime in the past year.
The results were compared for groups with different types of
insurance coverage. Most respondents had private health insurance; just under
two percent (1.72 percent) were covered by veterans' insurance.
"Those in veterans' care were more likely than the rest
of the surveyed population to report care delay," the researchers write.
Nearly 29 percent of veterans reported they had delayed seeking needed medical
care, compared to the national rate of 17 percent.
Reasons for care delays differed between insurance groups. The
veterans reported difficulties in making appointments by phone and in getting
transportation to the doctor's office (as did Medicare and Medicaid
beneficiaries).
After controlling for personal factors and region of the
country, veterans were 1.76 times more likely to delay needed medical care,
compared to privately-insured individuals. "Such delays may have an effect
on veterans' propensity to seek healthcare as well, which could be detrimental
to their health," according to Drs. Lee and Begley.
The findings are consistent with recently reported problems
accessing care within the VA system. Prompted by reports of lengthy wait times
in veterans diagnosed with health problems, investigation found manipulation of
waiting times and inappropriate scheduling practices at some VA medical
centers.
Delays in seeking care are an important issue in the US
healthcare system, working against efforts to improve high-quality, effective
healthcare. Previous studies—mainly comparing patients with public (Medicare
and Medicaid) with private insurance—have reported that type of health
insurance coverage affects delays in receiving care.
The new study finds that delays in seeking health care are
common in the US population, and that the problem is most pronounced for
veterans. Nearly three out of ten veterans report delays in seeking care over
the past year, and there may be a "causal link" with the VA access
problems.
Drs. Lee and Begley believe their study has important
implications for policies related to reducing care delays—especially among
veterans. They conclude, "More studies are needed to expand our
understanding on the magnitude and current status of care delay and offer
specific steps to rectify related issues on delayed care if reported in
military health care."
Article: "Delays in Seeking Health Care: Comparison of
Veterans and the General Population." (doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000000420)
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