The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has caused changes in the availability and use of health services, and disruptions have been reported in chronic disease management. We aimed to study the impact of the pandemic on the incidence of chronic diseases in Finland using register-based data. Incident cases of chronic diseases decreased, except for cases of anxiety disorders. The annual reductions ranged from 5% in cases of cancers to over 16% in cases of type 2 diabetes. These findings may be due to diagnostic delays and highlight the importance of ensuring access to health care and the continuity of care in all circumstances.
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.