The effects of restricted access to healthcare on vulnerable people: an analysis of the determinants of health outcomes among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This study investigates how restrictions in healthcare access and school closures in European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic affected health and education outcomes among two groups of vulnerable people: the elderly and the youth. These groups are vulnerable in that they are more susceptible to social changes and less capable of adapting, either because of individual characteristics or pre-existing structural inequalities. We employ multi-level modelling using data from SHARE and Eurofound's survey on living and working under COVID-19. The ndings show that elderly people have, on average, perceived a worsening in general and mental health, especially among women and those to whom medical care was restricted. Students suffered the most when their households' socio-economic status and digital divides presented signi cant barriers to adapting to online schooling. Our ndings corroborate nationallevel studies from both within and outside the EU, particularly concerning the gender dimension, access to healthcare, pre-existing socio-economic inequalities, and digital divides. We conclude with some policy implications and the necessity to craft preventive policies to make the social system more resilient in responding to future crises.