CVS Health surveys consumers on state of post-pandemic health
Dealing with the impact of the pandemic has U.S. consumers more engaged with their own health, a CVS Health study found.
A survey component of the 2021 Health Care Insights Study found 77% of U.S. consumers believe COVID-19 led them to pay more attention to health goals and reexamine priorities.
Additionally, half of the respondents said the stay-at-home orders in their states helped them achieve certain health goals. On the flipside, the study did find increased levels of alcohol (20%), nicotine (21%) and opioids (10%) in vulnerable populations.
CVS surveyed 1,000 consumers and 400 providers for thoughts on the state of health care. The retailer has been active with its private brands this year, especially in health and wellness.
“Over the past year and a half, we have witnessed a dramatic shift in consumer health care preferences and needs,” said CVS Health president and CEO Karen Lynch. “These shifts toward personalized care have the potential to impact our health care system well past the pandemic, with many people taking a more engaged approach to their own health. Going forward, we have an opportunity to take what we’ve learned and continue to foster an integrated health model that is centered around the needs of the individual.”
In other consumer behavior insights from the study: Men reported slightly higher levels of stress compared to female respondents such as 70% of men vs. 59% of women said the COVID-19 pandemic had a high/moderate impact on stress related to caring for children who live in the home. Women, however, weren’t as happy with their level of social connection — only 68% of women said they were happy with their social connection compared to 80% of men.
Young adults (18-34 years old) were most impacted by the pandemic and the most likely age group to report depression (35%) as well as a higher rate of mental illness (28%), compared to total respondents (23%). Despite the pandemic’s impact on mental health, 74% did not seek mental health services. The data shows this gap is due to costly care — 28% of consumers said they did not visit a mental or behavioral health specialist when they needed support due to costs.
For more, the study can be downloaded here.