A new study has found that 85.3% of South Australians have skipped or delayed at least one health check in the last year. This has raised concerns about the impact on health outcomes across the state.
iSelect surveyed 1,000 Australians to understand how often they attend recommended appointments. The survey also looked at the main reasons for delaying or missing routine checks. The results show clear trends in habits, attitudes and access to healthcare.
South Australians skip skin checks more than any other state. Almost three in four South Aussies (77.2%) missed a skin check in the last 12 months. Nearly half (49.1%) did not attend a recommended appointment at all. Hearing tests were also missed, with 76.0% delaying or skipping when recommended. Nearly half (44.0%) did not attend their hearing appointment.
Dental visits followed a similar trend. Almost three in four (72.5%) delayed or skipped a dental appointment. One in four (20.3%) postponed their dental visit by more than a year. Only 27.5% attended when required. GP visits were also delayed. Almost half of South Australians (45.2%) skipped or postponed an appointment. Almost one in five (16.1%) waited between one and twelve months.
South Australians recorded the highest rates of delayed or skipped checks across most routine health services. Only mental health consultations and physiotherapy ranked below other states.
Cost was a key barrier for many. One in three said cost stopped them attending skin checks (36.4%), GP appointments (32.1%) and physiotherapy (34.8%). Almost half (48.0%) could not afford to visit the dentist. Cost was also a reason for delaying mental health consultations (25.0%), eye exams (26.2%) and hearing tests (23.7%).
Many South Australians also skipped checks because they did not think they were needed. This applied to skin checks for 22.7% of respondents. The same belief affected health screenings (34.3%), vaccinations (30.8%) and hearing tests (36.8%). Forgetting or lack of time was another reason. Difficulty accessing appointments also played a role. This affected GP visits (10.7%), health screenings (8.6%) and physiotherapy (8.7%).
Health checks appear to be another area affected by rising living costs, with the study highlighting a concerning number of South Australians skipping essential appointments.
To read the full study by by iSelect, click here.
More News
