Women risk their lives by being too busy

WOMEN are risking their lives because they are too busy to see a doctor, research has found.

The pressure on working women is leading them to ignore signs of cancer, as their health takes a back seat to looking after children, caring for elderly relatives and keeping up with their career.

The warning has been issued by charity Ovarian Cancer Action, whose survey revealed more than a quarter of women in Scotland would put work ahead of going to see their GP. Almost two in five would put their family ahead of seeking medical help.

The campaign for women to pay more attention to their health is being backed by Alison McGoff, a 46-year-old who mistook symptoms of ovarian cancer for the effects of overwork and stress.

It is the fourth most common cancer in Scotland, killing more than two-thirds of women within five years of diagnosis.

Katherine Taylor, chief executive of Ovarian Cancer Action, said: ‘The reluctance of women to seek help and speak up about health issues is really worrying, but it’s not hard to understand. From being too busy or feeling too shy, to prioritising the needs of our families or our jobs, there are myriad reasons why health issues may not take precedence in the busy lives we lead.

‘However, in diseases like ovarian cancer – in which symptoms can be vague and diagnosis is tricky – we, as women, need to listen to our bodies, keep a close eye on our health and be persistent with doctors if we think something is wrong.’

There are also concerns that women are not speaking up about their health concerns because they find it difficult to speak to a doctor. The survey found a quarter of Scots women are worried about wasting their GP’s time, while one in five feels other patients’ needs are more important than their own.

The research, which covered 2,000 adult women in the UK, 113 in Scotland, also uncovered issues with doctors.

Almost half of those asked said they did not feel they had been listened to when discussing a problem with a GP. Nearly one in five said they would accept a diagnosis unquestioningly, with more than 10 per cent admitting they would start to doubt their own instincts if a doctor told them they were wrong about their symptoms.

‘Reluctance to speak up about health issues’