The forgoing of care among the over-65s in Italy is a significant problem that requires attention, a phenomenon that became more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic and that in the 2021-2022 biennium, according to "Silver Steps" surveillance estimate by the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), involved more than 3 million elderly people. From the data collected by ISS, in the 2021-2022 biennium 24% of respondents over 65 years of age say that in the 12 months prior to the interview, they had foregone at least one medical visit or diagnostic test they would have needed, which is 1 in 4 of those who would have needed it. Waiving care is exacerbated in the socially disadvantaged, reaching 37 percent among those who report having a lot of difficulty making ends meet with their resources (vs. 24 percent among those who report having no financial problems) and is more frequent among women (29 percent vs. 23 percent of men).
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