Survey shows women’s health affected by not seeing doctors due to costs

RED BANK, N.J. Results of a survey published by WebMD show that women often put off seeking medical care due to the rising costs of health care.

Nearly half of the women who participated in an online survey conducted by the National Women’s Health Resource Center said that in the last year they failed to pursue doctor visits for themselves or for their family members due to costs that were too high.The NWHRC released results of the survey this week.

The survey was conducted online throughout September and into October. A total of 754 women participated representing different races, ages, socioeconomic situations as well having or not having health insurance.

Of the women who reported passing up medical attention due to cost, 1-in-4 reported that they believed their illnesses continued for longer durations because they did not seek care. Also, 43 percent reported that they worried more about health-related issues.

Furthermore, 19 percent of women surveyed said that they skipped recommended procedures, like Pap smears and mammograms, due to the costs. Of the survey participants, 18 percent said they took smaller amounts of prescription medications to make them last longer and 18 percent said they did not refill medications.