Half of adults avoid GP due to cost of visit

MORE than half of adults avoid visiting their GP because of the cost, a new study reveals.

And almost seven out of 10 adults wait until they feel ill or experience symptoms before considering going for a health check.

The nationwide survey of 1,000 adults, commissioned by Quinn Healthcare, found that a significant number of older people avoided health checks until they felt ill – 68% of people between the ages of 45-54 and over half of people aged 55-plus.

Just 20% of people between the age of 25-34 years say they would attend a surgery while feeling well.

GPs admitted they were seeing fewer fee-paying patients at the annual general meeting of the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) last May.

Chairman, Dr John Delap, a GP in Coolock, Dublin, was asked at the meeting if GPs had reduced their fees.

He said most doctors knew their patients so well they knew who could afford to pay and tailored their fees accordingly.

An online poll by irishhealth.com, in which more than 500 people have participated to date, shows that 2% are charged €70 or more for a surgery visit, 8% pay €65-69; 17%, €60-64; 22%, €55-59; 33%, €50-54 and 18% less than €50.

Doctors have argued that the difference indicates that there is competition in the provision of GP services. But the survey found 54% of adults avoid visiting their GP because of the expense.

The figure is highest among women, at 56%, people aged 35-44 (62%) and those in Dublin (57%). People over the age of 55 are less likely to avoid GP visits for financial reasons.

Women still visit their GP more frequently than men, with more than three in five women visiting a GP more than three times a year.

Less than half of men said they visit their GP more than three times a year.

Quinn Healthcare’s occupational health advisory, Sarah O’Neill, said the most surprising finding was that so many people over the age of 55 did not get a health check unless they felt ill.

Ms O’Neill said common illnesses in the over-55s included high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and arthritis. “Certain cancers, such as colon, prostate and breast, are also more common in the over 55s so attending a screening programme or the GP on an annual basis for a full health check is an important and proactive way of protecting your health.”