Medical Procrastination 

When was the last time you went to the doctor for a checkup? Or how about the optometrist to get your eyes looked at? Don’t forget the dentist, too! There are certain doctors you should be seeing on a regular or annual basis, but many Americans are putting off some of these important appointments.

In a new survey of more than 1,050 people, MyVision asked Americans to share when they last went to the doctor and what’s keeping them from going (if they’re avoiding certain ones)!  Surprisingly, many people want to be seen by a medical professional but are having trouble getting appointments.

The type of doctors that Americans visit the most are primary care practitioners. More than 7 out of 10 (71%) go to a general practitioner. After primary care, 58% say they go to the dentist regularly, and 42% get consistent eye exams at the optometrist.

Only 13% say they visit a dermatologist regularly, and 12% admit to not visiting any doctors or medical professionals. A little more than 1 out of 3 women (36%) say they routinely go to the gynecologist.

There are those appointments that people actively avoid, and those appointments tend to be the most disliked type of doctor appointment. Nearly half (49%) of women surveyed said they don’t like the gynecologist, and 39% actively avoid those appointments. That was closely followed by the dentist.

As for the most expensive doctors, Americans listed dentists, specialists, and eye doctors.

Reasons for Skipping Appointments

More than 3 out of 5 (61%) Americans admit to procrastinating when it comes to their health, and 1 out of 5 don’t even have a primary care practitioner. Of those, 45% revealed they are not looking for one right now.

Nearly half (44%) of people surveyed are overdue for checkups, and 13% are overdue for recommended shots.

The top reason people put off doctor appointments is that it’s too expensive. More than 2 out of 5 (42%) have skipped an appointment over cost concerns.

However, the patients aren’t always to blame for these delayed or avoided visits. One of the other main reasons for putting off visits is that it’s hard to get an appointment! More than half (52%) have skipped appointments because of scheduling difficulties, and 48% said they’ve had some trouble booking appointments due to doctors’ busy schedules.

To read the full report, click here.https://myvision.org/guides/medical-procrastination-nation/