Consequences of Delayed Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Emerging Research and New Lines of Inquiry for Human Biologists and Anthropologists

Objective: Research regarding ongoing epidemic or pandemic events is often proximate, focusing on the immediate need to understand the epidemiology of the outbreak and the populations at highest risk for negative outcomes. There are other characteristics of pandemics that can only be uncovered after time has passed, and some long-lasting health consequences may not be directly linked to infection with or disease from the pandemic pathogen itself.

Methods: We discuss the emerging literature on observations delayed care during the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential population health consequences of this phenomenon in postpandemic years, especially for conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and reproductive health.

Results: Delayed care has occurred for various conditions since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the drivers for those delays have yet to be thoroughly investigated. While delayed care can be either voluntary or involuntary, the determinants of delayed care often intersect with systemic inequalities that are important to understand for pandemic responses and future preparedness.

Conclusion: Human biologists and anthropologists are well poised to lead the research on postpandemic population health consequences of delayed care.