One in five patients 'sacrificing' on food spend to afford healthcare

Researchers found that the patients were most likely to stop specialist care and hospital visits if their monthly budgets dropped by 25%, but they were least likely to cut medication spending. Picture: Tero Vesalainen / Alamy Stock

More than one in five patients with chronic illness make "difficult decisions", such as cutting their food spend, so they can afford vital healthcare, Irish research has found.

The survey of 962 people aged 40 and older also found 34.5% skipped health appointments and/or buying medicine during a year-long period because they could not afford it.