Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

CancerSickness absence managementOccupational HealthOHW+Wellbeing

Quarter delay seeing GP because of ’embarrassment’

by Nic Paton 18 Oct 2021
by Nic Paton 18 Oct 2021 Embarrassment over bowel and bladder issues were a key reason for people putting off seeing their GP, the Essity poll found
Image: Shutterstock
Embarrassment over bowel and bladder issues were a key reason for people putting off seeing their GP, the Essity poll found
Image: Shutterstock

More than a quarter of Britons (26%), or the equivalent of nearly 14 million people, have delayed visiting their doctor over something they consider to be embarrassing, a survey has suggested.

The poll of 2,250 people by health company Essity also found more than a fifth (21%) who did delay were later diagnosed with a health condition.

The average delay in accessing medical support was 27 days, yet one in 10 (12%) had delayed visiting a doctor by more than two years, it added.

Embarrassment over bladder and bowel issues was one of the most common reasons for putting off seeing a doctor, with 42% of those polled admitting to having never visited their GP to discuss concerns related to these areas. This was despite the NHS estimating that between three and six million people in the UK are living with some form of incontinence-related issue.

Worryingly, people were often self-diagnosing or Googling symptoms instead of getting expert medical advice, the survey concluded.

GP hesitancy

Nearly half with possible cancer symptoms avoided GP

Hearing-impaired delay seeking help from GP

Nearly half of those polled (45%) said they ‘often’ self-diagnosed whether symptoms were serious or not based on online advice (for example the NHS website or a site such as WedMD).

Nearly half (49%) of those who had used an online platform had then opted not to speak with their GP after researching their symptoms online.

Jane Mayes, clinical consultant at Essity, said: “Our research has found that the embarrassment we can often feel around our toilet habits is leading to potentially concerning symptoms going unnoticed, left or medical support not being accessed when it should be.

“Equally, we’re seeing an increase in the number of people – particularly younger people – who are deciding whether or not to speak to their GP based on information they can find online,” she added.

Nic Paton
Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consulting editor of OHW+. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for OHW+ and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
Work with employers on skills, manufacturers tell government
next post
Thousands of nightclub jobs lost during pandemic

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Long Covid develops in one in eight of...

5 Aug 2022

How can OH start difficult conversations about loneliness?

3 Aug 2022

CPD: supporting the health needs of university staff

1 Aug 2022

CPD activities: supporting the health needs of university...

1 Aug 2022

Prof Sir Cary Cooper: sit up and take...

28 Jul 2022

Janet O’Neill: My role at the National School...

26 Jul 2022

Managing loneliness among lone workers and those on...

25 Jul 2022

New occupational medicine training curriculum approved

21 Jul 2022

Workplace health a major facet of ‘gender health...

20 Jul 2022

Employers urged to improve knowledge of heat health...

19 Jul 2022

  • 6 reasons why work-based learning is better than traditional training PROMOTED | A recent Fortune/Deloitte survey found that 71% of CEOs are anticipating that this year’s biggest business disrupter...Read more
  • Strengthening Scotland’s public services through virtual recruiting PROMOTED | This website is Scotland's go-to place for job seekers looking to apply for roles in public services...Read more
  • What’s next for L&D? Enter Alchemist… PROMOTED | It’s time to turn off the tedious and get ready for interactive and immersive learning experiences...Read more
  • Simple mistakes are blighting the onboarding experience PROMOTED | The onboarding of new hires is a company’s best chance...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today