Abstract
BACKGROUND: To investigate the long-term trends in prevalence and pandemic-related factors of unmet healthcare needs among a nationwide large-scale cohort with or without depressive symptoms from the Korea Community Health Survey. METHODS: We analyzed 2,850,315 Korean adults aged 19 years or older, including individuals with or without depressive symptoms. Our study investigated the trends and risk factors for unmet healthcare needs among individuals, stratified by the presence of depressive symptoms during the pre-pandemic (2009-2019) and pandemic era (2020-2022). Weighted odds ratios and weighted regression slope coefficients (β) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were employed to analyze the prevalence of unmet healthcare needs. RESULTS: Of a total of 2,850,315 individuals (mean ± standard deviation age, 53.04 ± 17.43 years; male, 44.81%). Unmet healthcare needs decreased in both groups during the observation period. Individuals with depressive symptoms had a 2-3 times higher prevalence of unmet healthcare needs. The downward trend for those with depressive symptoms, from 34.55% (95% CI, 33.77-35.34) in 2009-2010 to 21.50% (20.91-22.09) in 2017-2019, reversed during the pandemic, increasing from 13.82% (12.95-14.69) in 2020 to 14.37% (13.62-15.12) in 2022. CONCLUSION: The study highlights increased unmet healthcare needs among individuals with depressive symptoms during the pandemic, emphasizing the necessity for tailored policies and effective healthcare distribution to reduce barriers for vulnerable populations during global crises.