This study delves into the disruption of pediatric healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on three key outcomes: missed care, missed well-child or vaccination-related visits, and complete absence of such visits. Data was drawn from the CovEx (COVID Experiences Survey), tracking parents’ experiences with children aged five to twelve in two waves conducted between October 2020 and May 2021. The analysis considered child-level, parent-level, household-level, and county-level factors.
Findings revealed significant gaps in pediatric healthcare access, with almost one-third of children missing well-child or vaccination-related visits for over a year, marking the largest proportion among the studied outcomes. Racial disparities were evident, with non-Hispanic White children at lower risk compared to non-White counterparts. Virtual schooling increased the likelihood of missed care, while counties with fewer primary care doctors per capita were associated with higher rates of missed visits. Moreover, children with existing emotional, mental, or developmental conditions faced heightened risks of missed care.
This study underscores the exacerbation of healthcare disparities by the pandemic, particularly impacting marginalized populations. It highlights the critical need for targeted interventions to address access barriers and mitigate the long-term consequences of interrupted pediatric healthcare.
