1 in 5 put off GP visit to avoid lifestyle lectures

MANY adults put off going to their GP because they do not like being told what to do, research suggests.

Data from 4,300 Britons saw nearly one in five admit they had delayed making an appointment to avoid being lectured about lifestyle changes.

Experts say patients stay away for fear of giving away control – even when they are already showing worrying health symptoms – and warn this poses a considerable threat to public health.

The report, by experts at University College London, the University of Bedfordshire and thinktank 2020 Health, says many people also have a ‘fear of finding out’ they are unhealthy and so avoid their doctor.

This can lead to major issues in the long term because minor problems missed at an early stage can escalate into far more severe issues. Cancer, for example, can be treated far more successfully if spotted early. But many people – especially the rising number who know they do too little exercise or are overweight – do not report health complaints for fear of being lectured about their lifestyle.

GPs are encouraged by the NHS to ask patients about their weight and how much exercise they do, and are even given financial incentives to give weight-loss advice.

Julia Manning, founding director of 2020 Health, said: ‘It’s easy to think that consumers are wilfully refusing to change unhealthy habits, but the truth is, we are bombarded by conflicting health advice and mixed messages everywhere we turn.

‘This is both confusing and dangerous as it can lead to important, evidence-based health information and guidance being lost or overlooked.

‘Not only are lifestyle changes undermined, but the importance of getting specific symptoms checked out early are obscured.’ Some 18 per cent of participants in the study – nearly one in five – said they had delayed an appointment because they were worried they might be pressured to change their lifestyle.

With 68 per cent of men and 58 per cent of women in Britain now overweight or obese, many may have reason to fear being lectured.

A quarter of participants said they had avoided a doctor because they did not want to be physically examined. A fifth said they were anxious about treatment that might be required, and another fifth were worried about the impact a diagnosis may have on family members.

The report, funded by pharmaceutical firm AbbVie, said patients who go to their doctor when they have a problem actually have a smaller impact on the NHS.

It said: ‘The model of the “good patient” [is] one who adopts a healthy lifestyle, sees the doctor promptly if they notice what could be the early signs of illness and turns up to routine health checks and screening appointments.’