Impact of Covid-19 on Consumption Patterns and Healthcare Expenditures in General Dentistry and Outpatient Physician Visits Publisher Pubmed

Summary: How did COVID-19 change dental and medical visits? An insurance-data study found a sharp service drop, followed by higher patient out-of-pocket shares. #COVID19 #HealthEconomics

Ghafourian A ; Emamgholipour S ; Fazaeli A A
Source: BMC Health Services Research Published:2026

Abstract

Background: The onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly changed the behavior of healthcare service consumers, including the utilization of physicians’ and general dentists’ services. Health system policymakers and insurance company managers can use the results of this study to implement necessary measures to mitigate changes in the provision of these services in the face of new pandemics. Methods: This applied study employed an interrupted time-series analysis. Monthly and provincial data on the consumption and expenditures of the general dentistry visits, general practitioners, specialists, and subspecialists were collected from March 21, 2018, to the end of March 20, 2022. Two time intervals, 24 months before and 24 months after the pandemic outbreak in Iran, were analyzed. To adjust for inflation’s effect on health expenditures, real expenditures were calculated. All statistical analyses were performed using EViews 10. Results: A declining trend in all three services occurred before COVID-19, followed by a sudden decrease in March 2020. The total number of outpatient visits to general practitioners, specialists, and subspecialists, as well as general dentistry visits, decreased by 60%, 55%, and 45%, respectively, from March 2020 to March 2021 compared with March 2019 to March 2020. These reductions were even sharper than those from March 2018 to March 2019, with decreases of 62%, 62%, and 55%, respectively. Compared with the previous year, all three services increased by 164%, 121%, and 22% in March 2021 and March 2022, respectively. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a sudden decline in demand for physicians’ and general dentists’ services. The declining trend in consumption persisted until March 2021. From March 2021 onward, across all three services, consumers’ share of real expenditures increased relative to the organization’s share, indicating higher out-of-pocket payments by patients. Clinical trial number: Not applicable. © The Author(s) 2026.