Pandemic Perceptions and Healthcare Decisions: Exploring Perceived COVID-19 Threat's Impact on Perinatal Healthcare...

The COVID-19 pandemic directly impacted well-being and healthcare delivery, but its indirect effects on health services utilization among pregnant women and new mothers remain less understood. Understanding how big events like pandemics impact health behaviors is essential for anticipating healthcare needs during future crises. This study examined how the perceived COVID-19 threat influenced health concerns and service utilization among 378 participants who were either pregnant or mothers of infants less than 12 months old, 18 years or older, and lived within a 50-mile radius of healthcare sites in the OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Consortium. An online Qualtrics survey assessed COVID-19 threat perception, distress related to health and resource concerns (e.g., access to medicine, baby supplies, mental and general healthcare, and social interactions), and changes to health service utilizations (e.g., induction schedule, hospital/birthing center choices, prenatal provider, and visit frequency) during the pandemic. Participants who perceived COVID-19 as a significant threat were more likely to report concerns about reduced access to general healthcare (p = 0.043). Pregnant participants, compared to mothers with infants under 12 months of age, expressed greater concern about reduced access to mental healthcare (p = 0.015). Additionally, the perceived COVID-19 threat was linked to changes in prenatal care providers and labor induction schedules (p < 0.001). These findings highlight the importance of integrating the perceived threat of pandemics or other major events into mental health screenings. Healthcare providers should proactively address potential changes in patient behavior during major events in anticipation of future crises.