Cigna's COVID-19 Global Impact Study shows early access to
vaccine may create a brighter outlook
HONG KONG, Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cigna's (NYSE:CI)
International Markets business today published the fifth edition of
its COVID-19 Global Impact Study, which highlights the contrast in
well-being around the world as vaccine roll-out commenced for some,
while other markets anticipated vaccine approvals to come. With the
COVID-19 pandemic continually evolving and new waves and variants
emerging in different geographies, these latest results show the
initial impact of vaccine availability, and highlight a growing
nostalgia for the normalcies of pre-pandemic way of
life.
Building on the previous wave of results from October, which saw
many markets reach record lows, this latest study was conducted in
late November and early December
2020, and gauged global attitudes to five health indices -
family, financial, physical, social and work. The study's timing
coincided with one vaccine already being administered in UAE,
following emergency approval in September and at a time when the
first, highly anticipated approval for a vaccine was imminent in
the U.K.
Thailand fell by 1.4 points,
amid its largest single outbreak, as well as Spain and Hong
Kong, which saw continued record lows as pandemic-associated
stay-at-home orders continued. However, a different picture
emerged in markets where the vaccine deployment had commenced, or
approval was imminent. The UAE and U.K. saw increases of 1.8 and
1.6 points, respectively. These increases were only surpassed
in New Zealand and Taiwan, where COVID-19 restrictions were
considered successful and had been almost entirely lifted, with
overall scores improving by 2.7 and 2.5 points,
respectively.
Jason Sadler, President, Cigna
International Markets said: "We predicted that vaccine availability
would have a direct impact on people's physical well-being as they
received the immunization, but we are also seeing a broader
positive impact for whole health. As global vaccine distribution
moves forward and the rollout continues, it will be increasingly
critical that all parties involved help to manage the expectations
of their citizens, especially those not in priority groups, to help
ensure a continued focus on our populations' well-being."
Craving Normalcy
The desire for pre-pandemic normalcy is also seen in people's
preferences for remote vs. office working. In mid- 2020, at the end
of the first waves of the pandemic in most markets, the data
reflects an overwhelming preference for remote working globally, as
people enjoyed the flexibility and family time it offered. This
latest study reveals that this novelty has begun to wear off and
many people are beginning to crave a return to some form of
normality, with 53 percent of people surveyed now wanting to work
from the office at least 80 percent of the time. The key reasons
stated for this were more effective communication, better team
collaboration and better productivity.
Health Fatigue Sets In
With the pandemic ongoing for approximately one year now
depending on geography, along with new and varying waves of
restrictions, the data also reflects increases in health
fatigue. At the beginning of the pandemic, rates of physical
exercise rose in many markets. However, by December 2020, rates declined in a number of
markets – notably in the United
States, which fell from 32 percent in October to 24 percent
in December; in Thailand, which
fell from 27 percent to 21 percent; and in Singapore, where it fell from 22 percent to 17
percent.
Sadler added, "The enduring nature of the pandemic is showing
that some of the positive habits many people established at the
onset may be waning. People are looking back to life before the
pandemic, especially from a work perspective, as the pressure of
work, family, home-schooling and other responsibilities are being
felt."
Family Time Improves in Many Markets
Despite the declines in physical well-being, overall family
well-being scores have remained robust in most markets. When asked
about their ability to spend quality time with their family, 40
percent of people surveyed said it was either excellent or very
good. In many markets, results in this area have been more positive
since the last study in October. In the UAE, 57 percent of people
said they had high-quality family time in December compared to only
53 percent in October; in Spain it
improved from 46 percent to 50 percent; in the UK it improved from
32 percent to 39 percent and in Singapore it improved from 30 percent to 37
percent.
People say they feel more able to take care of their loved ones.
When specifically asked about their ability to take care of their
spouse or partner's health and well-being, 54 percent of people in
the UK said it was excellent or very good, compared to 49 percent
in October. In the UAE, it increased from 48 percent in October to
64 percent in December and in Spain it remained steady at 54
percent.
"The continued focus on family continues, which we hope will be
a long-term benefit from the pandemic. Although people's lives have
changed significantly as they have adapted traditional roles of
employee, partner, parent, carer and educator, for many, it has
resulted in a greater connection with loved ones and potentially an
improvement in their well-being," Sadler said.
Changing Models of Health
Since the beginning of 2020, different models of care have
become embedded in our new normal. Notably, virtual health is now a
widely accepted part of mainstream healthcare delivery in many
markets across the world. Fifty-nine percent of people surveyed say
they would choose to have a diagnosis virtually, compared to only
41 percent pre-pandemic. However, when asked how likely they
would be to use virtual care if they could connect with their
regular doctor, 73 percent of people said they would be receptive,
rising to 88 percent in Thailand
and the UAE, and 86 percent in Taiwan.
The trend toward increased utilization of health and well-being
apps seems set to continue with 80 percent of people globally now
reporting that they would consider or would prefer virtual rather
than face-to-face engagement when it comes to general health
advice, such as nutrition and lifestyle tips. There also continues
to be strong interest in virtual health for mental health support,
such as therapy and counselling, with 69 percent of people globally
saying they would consider or would prefer virtual consultations,
opening up the potential to rapidly expand mental health provision
across the world.
Sadler concluded, "The experience of the last year has
profoundly changed people's expectations of healthcare with many
now preferring to speak to clinicians virtually, rather than face
to face. This presents a clear opportunity to adapt the healthcare
journey for patients in the future, especially for general health,
mental health and well-being support, delivering improved health
outcomes for all in a way that works best for them as an
individual."
Click here to download Cigna's COVID-19 Global Impact Study
– 5th Edition
To download our previous reports please visit:
Click here for the Cigna COVID-19 Global Impact Study –
1st Edition
Click here for the Cigna COVID-19 Global Impact Study –
2nd Edition
Click here for the Cigna COVID-19 Global Impact Study –
3rd Edition
Click here for the Cigna COVID-19 Global Impact Study –
4th Edition
How the study was conducted:
The Cigna COVID-19 Global Impact Study is an ongoing study that
has been conducted by Cigna, in partnership with Kantar. To date,
more than 25,000 online interviews have been conducted across
Mainland China, Hong Kong, Korea,
New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, United
Arab Emirates, United
Kingdom and United
States.
The study was conducted using an online survey, with respondents
recruited from online panels and undergo rigorous quality control.
Age, gender and residing city quotas were set based on the
population proportion of respective markets. The 20 to 25 minutes
survey was completed anonymously.
About Cigna
Cigna Corporation is a global health service company dedicated
to improving the health, well-being and peace of mind of those we
serve. Cigna delivers choice, predictability, affordability and
access to quality care through integrated capabilities and
connected, personalized solutions that advance whole person health.
All products and services are provided exclusively by or through
operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Cigna Health
and Life Insurance Company, Cigna Life Insurance Company of
New York, Connecticut General Life
Insurance Company, Express Scripts companies or their affiliates,
and Life Insurance Company of North
America. Such products and services include an integrated
suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral
health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related
products including group life, accident and disability insurance.
Cigna maintains sales capability in over 30 countries and
jurisdictions, and has more than 170 million customer relationships
throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®, including links
to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.
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