Feeling under the weather? One in four Aussies put off visits to the doctor

Alarming new research shows that nearly a quarter of Australians (24 per cent) avoid visiting their doctor even when they suspect they should, with cost and lack of service the key reasons.

The report — Coordination of health care: experiences of barriers to accessing health services among patients aged 45 and over — found one in eight (13 per cent) patients did not see a specialist when they felt they needed to. The report, which was released on Tuesday by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), also revealed 50 per cent Aussies who didn’t see a GP said they couldn’t get an appointment, while 45 per cent said it came down to cost.

Meanwhile, Australians with high health needs were three times more likely to report not seeing a GP or specialist when needed compared to those with low health needs. Those living in rural areas were eight times more likely to not pay their GP a visit and 24 times more likely to not see a specialist when needed due to lack of services.

Heart Foundation Risk Reduction Manager Natalie Raffoul said Aussies are risking their health by not seeing a GP when they felt they needed to.

“We know that one in five Australians aged 45 to 74 have a high risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next five years,” she said. “This is why it’s concerning to see so many Australians aged 45 and over who are not seeing a doctor when they feel they need to.”

“If you have not had a heart event, and are 45 years and over, or from 30 years if you’re an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, you are eligible for a Heart Health Check covered by Medicare.

“Most clinical risk factors for heart disease are silent, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which means that people may be at risk without knowing it.”

The latest research follows a previous study that found up to 80 per cent of people failed to share relevant health information with their doctor about daily issues such as diet and exercise. A third of patients also failed to speak up if they disagreed with a recommendation from their doctor — which raised concerns about communication and trust between health professionals and patients.

Researchers said patients shouldn’t feel judged or rushed by health professionals and should be able to share concerns and sensitive information that could benefit their overall health.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.