Cost and non-cost factors associated with delays in receiving medical care in adults with atherosclerotic...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology

Background:

• Adults with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) experience significant barriers to timely medical care.
• Understanding the specific cost and non-cost factors contributing to these delays is critical for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the prevalence and impact of cost-related and non-cost-related factors on medical care delays in adults with ASCVD.
• To identify specific barriers hindering access to healthcare services for individuals with ASCVD.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2014-2018 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behaviour Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey.
• Employed multivariate logistic regression models to analyze reasons for medical care delays in adults with ASCVD.
• Included a large sample size of 508,203 individuals, with a specific focus on 61,227 adults diagnosed with ASCVD.

Main Results:

• Adults with ASCVD demonstrated significantly higher odds of experiencing any medical care delay (aOR 1.50).
• Specific barriers identified include cost-related delays (aOR 1.55), long clinic wait times (aOR 1.21), and lack of transportation (aOR 1.64).
• These findings highlight a disproportionate burden of access barriers among the ASCVD population.

Conclusions:

• Urgent development of novel public health and health policy strategies is required.
• Interventions must address both financial and logistical barriers to improve healthcare access for adults with ASCVD.
• Reducing these multifaceted barriers is essential for better health outcomes in this vulnerable population.