COGNITIVE FUNCTION AND DELAYED MEDICAL CARE DURING COVID-19 - DOES FAMILY SOCIAL SUPPORT MODERATE THIS ASSOCIATION?

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Angel

The study examines how cognitive function and family social support relate to delayed medical care among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the 2020 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (N=4,087), the research links cognitive function (Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status) with delayed care (binary). It finds 30% delayed care, with better cognition associated with greater delay and more negative support from children also linked to delay. Moderation by social support is not statistically significant.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Study focus and background

Data source and measures

Key results

Moderation findings

FAQs

What prompted the study of delayed medical care during COVID-19?

Healthcare facilities postponed elective procedures and patients delayed care to avoid infection. The study addresses limited knowledge about older adults’ cognitive function in relation to these delays.

How was delayed medical care measured and what sample was used?

Delayed medical care was measured as a binary variable (1=delayed care) using the 2020 wave of the Health and Retirement Study, with N=4,087 participants.

What did the results show about cognitive function and delayed care?

Older adults with better cognitive function were more likely to delay care, with reported odds ratio OR=1.03 (95% CI 1.01-1.05, p=.001).

Did family social support moderate the relationship between cognitive function and delayed care?

The moderation results were not statistically significant, indicating social support did not meaningfully change the association.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Angel