Deloitte Analysis: 50% of US Women Skip or Delay Medical Care due to Cost, Access, or Negative Experiences

Findings show women avoid care at much higher rate than men, potentially impacting their long-term health and wealth 

NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --

Key takeaways

• Fifty percent of women surveyed report skipping or delaying medical care; women are 35% more likely to skip care than men.
• Women surveyed are 50% more likely than men to skip care due to long wait times, and 31% more likely than men to skip care due to cost.
• The top three types of care women skip due to cost are acute illness (e.g., cold or flu), preventive care, and care for women's health issues.
• Women surveyed are twice as likely as men to miss medical appointments due to transportation issues.

Why this matters 
The U.S. health care system has historically fallen short in addressing women's health needs, and findings from the "2024 Deloitte Health Care Consumer Survey" indicate affordability, access and negative experiences impede the U.S. health care system's progress in helping women lead longer, healthier lives. Deloitte's nationally representative survey found these three specific barriers are causing women to avoid medical care at a much higher rate than men, with half of women saying they have skipped or delayed any kind of health care service in the past year compared to 37% of men.

Health care costs driving women away from seeking care 
Cost is a significant factor for women when making decisions about their health care. Deloitte's survey found women are 31% more likely than men to skip care due to cost. This may not be too surprising since a previous Deloitte analysis revealed that women pay $15.4 billion more in out-of-pocket medical expenses a year than men. The prior analysis found that women, even when excluding maternity-related health care expenses, require an average of 9.9% more health care services than men. This difference could be due to a variety of biological differences between women and men or disease prevalence. In this recent consumer survey, Deloitte also found that women are more likely than men to avoid or delay mental health services due to cost, thus reinforcing that costs are a barrier to women seeking the care they need.

Key quote
"These findings are a stark reminder of how women's health and wealth are inextricably intertwined. By dismantling the barriers women have identified, together we can create a future where women don't have to make the difficult choice between maintaining their health or maintaining their financial wellbeing."

 —  Kulleni Gebreyes, M.D., U.S. chief health equity officer and managing principal, life sciences and health care, Deloitte Consulting LLP

Women face triple threat in health care system: affordability, access challenges and negative experiences 
Based on the survey findings, Deloitte identified three barriers that can lead to women to defer or skip care:

• Affordability: Women are 31% more likely than men to skip medical care due to cost. Additionally, women are less financially prepared for unforeseen medical expenses, with 44% reporting they are "not prepared" or "slightly prepared" to pay $500 for an unexpected medical emergency, up from 37% two years ago. In comparison, only 25% of men report being unprepared for such emergencies in the next year.
• Access: Women are 50% more likely than men to skip care due to long wait times and twice as likely to miss medical appointments due to transportation issues. Access is a top priority for women — 80% of those who have used virtual health visits cited convenience and accessibility as their top reasons for using virtual.
• Prior Experiences: Women's health care issues often get misdiagnosed or overlooked, especially when their symptoms don't match the established and typically male-based data. For example, middle-aged women who have symptoms of heart disease are twice as likely as men to be misdiagnosed. In a focus group from a previous Deloitte study, 40% of women participating said they had skipped or avoided care because of how a provider or staff member treated them. These negative experiences can cause distrust and lead women to avoid necessary care.

Key quote
"These research findings elevate key opportunities to address the barriers holding women back from accessing the care they not only need but deserve. It's imperative that stakeholders across the ecosystem understand and prioritize women's health to close the gap and help ensure everyone has equitable access to health services so that women can thrive and continue to fulfill their critical role in both the paid and unpaid workforce in the U.S."

—     Jen Radin, risk and financial advisory health care practice leader and principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP

Bridging the gender gap 
Stakeholders across industries — including employers, health plans, hospitals and innovators — can play a pivotal role in developing strategies prioritizing women's health. By adopting an equitable-centered design, these groups can tackle structural flaws in the health care system and help bridge the gender equity gap. Deloitte's full recommendations for how stakeholders can contribute are found in the full report, "What's causing US women to skip or delay medical care more frequently than men?"

About the survey
In February/March 2024, the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions surveyed a nationally representative sample of more than 2,000 U.S. consumers on how the U.S. could achieve high-quality health care for everyone. The "2024 Deloitte Health Care Consumer Survey" is the research center's 12th nationally representative consumer survey since 2008.

About Deloitte
Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500® and more than 8,500 U.S.-based private companies. At Deloitte, we strive to live our purpose of making an impact that matters by creating trust and confidence in a more equitable society. We leverage our unique blend of business acumen, command of technology, and strategic technology alliances to advise our clients across industries as they build their future. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Bringing more than 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's approximately 457,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com.

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SOURCE Deloitte