Impact of COVID-19 on Chronic Disease Diagnoses and Early Treatment Opportunities
The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching effects beyond the immediate health crisis, significantly impacting public health by causing a substantial decline in the diagnosis of chronic diseases. This has left millions undiagnosed or untreated for extended periods.
A recent study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) analyzed anonymized health data from approximately 30 million individuals in England, revealing these troubling trends.
As the pandemic unfolded, healthcare systems redirected resources to manage emergency cases, leading to the cancellation of routine appointments. Visits to family doctors and non-COVID hospitals fell by nearly a third in the early months of the pandemic.
Specialty clinics were closed, and essential diagnostic tests were postponed, directly impacting the detection rates of long-term diseases.
The study identified the most affected diseases:
• Asthma: Diagnoses decreased by over 30% in the first year.
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Diagnoses dropped by more than 50% due to disruptions in breathing tests and lengthy waiting lists.
• Skin conditions, including psoriasis and atopic dermatitis: These were significantly impacted as patients hesitated to seek care, leading to delays in specialist referrals.
• Osteoporosis: Diagnosis rates fell by around a third, denying many individuals preventive treatments that could avert serious fractures. Recovery in diagnosis rates did not occur until approximately three years later.
From March 2020 to November 2024, more than 50 thousand cases were diagnosed less than anticipated in England, marking a missed opportunity for early intervention and public health improvement.
While diagnosis rates have begun to recover gradually since the initial disruptions, distinct patterns have emerged:
1 _ Depression: Diagnoses fell by about 30% in the first year but showed partial recovery before declining again since 2022. This trend occurred despite a rise in disability claims related to mental health, suggesting access to treatment has changed rather than indicating an actual improvement in mental health.
2 _ Chronic Kidney Disease: Diagnoses have doubled since 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This increase is attributed to updated medical guidelines for routine screenings among at-risk populations, such as those with diabetes and hypertension, along with the introduction of new treatments that underscore the importance of early detection.
The study also highlighted a positive development: the implementation of secure and rapid health data analysis, which enables near-instant monitoring of health changes that previously required years to detect.
Despite the healthcare disruptions and emerging gaps, the pandemic has driven advancements in monitoring tools, equipping health systems to respond more effectively to future crises and mitigate their hidden costs on community health.
