Kiwis unsure of whether annual general health screening is necessary
Research by nib New Zealand has found that 47% of New Zealanders are behind on their general health checks. Worryingly, some people had never received important health screenings like dental checks (63%) and eye checks (55%). Despite New Zealand having one of the highest rates of melanoma in the world, 84% of kiwis surveyed were either not up to date with or had never received a skin check. Low rates of participation in national screening programs were also seen, with 60% behind on prostate cancer checks, 44% behind on cervical smears, 37% behind on bowel cancer screenings and 28% behind on breast cancer screenings. 43% of parents weren’t clear what health checks are appropriate for their children.
The biggest barriers to getting screened were uncertainty about which screening checks they need (38%), cost (36%), not experiencing any current health issues of concern (30%) and being anxious about what it could reveal (19%).
Despite the high numbers of respondents who were behind on proactive health screenings, 62% considered their health to be good, very good or excellent.
Rob Hennin, nib Chief Executive said
“At nib we believe that taking a proactive approach to your health is critical to achieving better health outcomes and, in turn, living healthier and happier lives.”
“Our survey found that six in ten people were worried about their future health prospects, so there’s a clear disconnect between Kiwi’s perceptions of their own health and their willingness to address it. Health screenings are the key to catching potential illnesses early, which means you can get treatment, begin recovery, and return to normal life faster.”
nib are offering free general health checks to the Kiwi public with its Check-Up clinic stationed at Blues home games at Eden Park and around Auckland city. Locations can be found on nib New Zealand social channels.
The survey was conducted in December 2023 and questioned 1,000 people.
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