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One in five people worried they missed out on diagnosis or treatment due to Covid-19 pandemic

More than one-in-ten (11%) adults did not seek treatment despite feeling unwell during this period.

ONE IN FIVE people are worried they could have missed out on a diagnosis and treatment due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with around 50% either cancelling medical appointments or missing scheduled appointments, new research from Pfizer shows.

Hospital-initiated cancellations were higher among older age groups with 28% of over 65s having a hospital appointment cancelled compared to 16% of 25-34-year-olds.

Meanwhile, slightly more than one-in-ten (11%) adults did not seek treatment despite feeling unwell during this period.

However, the annual Pfizer Health & Science Index reveals that people are less worried about visiting the hospital compared with last year with almost one-fifth (18%) of respondents very or quite worried and would not visit a hospital – a nine-point drop compared to 27% in 2020.

Similarly, this year’s findings show that just 16% of people are very or quite worried and would not visit their GP.

Despite this drop compared to 2020, 43% of people believe they experienced a negative health implication of the pandemic with mental health, diet and weight and a lack of exercise predominating.

The research also shows that people are anxious about their long-term health and the prospect of developing a variety of serious illnesses in the future, with cancer the most significant concern.

Of those who state they were concerned about cancer as they age (50%), some 21% of respondents (41% of women) said they were concerned about getting breast cancer, 18% had concerns about contracting cervical cancer (35% of women) and 39% were concerned about all other forms of cancer.

The Pfizer Index shows that respondents have similar concerns about getting other diseases, with 40% concerned about heart disease; 37% worried about developing Alzheimer’s and over one-quarter of those surveyed (28%) responding that they have concerns about developing depression later in life.

“Covid-19 has presented many health system challenges which have made it more difficult for the public to access non-Covid care,” Irish Cancer Society director of advocacy and external affairs Rachel Morrogh said. 

“The findings underscore the importance that if anyone is worried about missing an appointment or if they have not sought medical advice yet, to make an appointment with their GP or clinician as soon as possible.

“It’s so important for anyone who is concerned about their health generally or who feels they may have neglected a lump or a mole to reach out for a referral. When it comes to cancer, early detection and early intervention is proven to save lives. It’s vital to seek medical attention quickly if a potential symptom is identified,” Morrogh said. 

Irish Heart Foundation head of advocacy Chris Macey has said the foundation is urging anyone who is worried about a missed diagnosis “to make that appointment that they have been putting off today and not wait until it’s too late”. 

“In addition to phone and online consultations, people should feel confident that it is safe to visit their GP or clinician in person. This is especially important if you are experiencing symptoms or have pre-existing heart conditions,” Macey said. 

This research is part of the 2021 Pfizer Health & Science Index, which is a nationally representative sample of 1,052 adults, carried out by Behaviour and Attitudes Research.

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    Mute mickmc
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    May 22nd 2017, 1:31 PM

    And if they accepted the original proposal they’d be better off. Once again we have the union bosses leading their member on a merry dance to no where.

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    Mute Soccer T's
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    May 22nd 2017, 2:36 PM

    @mickmc: At least 87% of the union members voted. Compare this to the numbers of teachers who actually voted to give ASTI a “mandate” for industrial action! Usually around 35/40%

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    Mute Soccer T's
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    May 22nd 2017, 2:51 PM

    @Soccer T’s: Correction: I see that on the last Asti ballot it was 77% of members who voted which probably accounted for the very narrow margin of victory for more industrial action (only 52% in favour) Nice of them to actually turn up to vote this time compared to the vote in 2015 when only a handful of members actually voted, meaning the delusional militants got their way. This is our kids future they are destroying while they couldn’t even take the time to vote!!

    Interestingly the kids sitting the junior cert in a few weeks are the kids who should be sitting the new junior cert 3 years after it was supposed to be introduced!!

    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/teachers-threaten-further-industrial-action-after-split-vote-1.2364660?mode=amp

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    Mute booby sandwiches
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    May 22nd 2017, 4:33 PM

    biggest climbdown in history PMSL

    Leo is going to sort these evil unions out #Leoforleader

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    Mute Adrian™
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    May 22nd 2017, 1:39 PM

    What are the terms they are agreeing to? And compared to what they were first offered? Bit more info wouldn’t go astray in the story.

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    Mute Keith Grant
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    May 22nd 2017, 1:29 PM

    Looks like all those weeks of strike were well worth it ay?? Ahahahah

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    Mute Keith Grant
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    May 22nd 2017, 1:28 PM

    Hahahahahah

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    Mute abcyz
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    May 22nd 2017, 1:39 PM

    The union & some drivers were on Liveline etc saying our OAPS & disabled shouldn’t be allowed free travel even tough it was and is widely used for hospital appointments etc. There wasn’t much challenge by media presenters during the strike about the unfair travel card demonisation stories even by drivers themselves on liveline.

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    Mute dead right
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    May 22nd 2017, 2:30 PM

    @abcyz: thats absolute b@llox your spouting no driver or union representative ever said the people you mentioned shouldn’t be allowed travel for free not once.

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    Mute Soccer T's
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    May 22nd 2017, 2:40 PM

    @abcyz: That’s total bull! They suggested that we should revisit the payments made by the government to the free travel scheme. It’s a fixed amount each year no matter how many actually use the service. They were making the point that a huge number of pensioners never even use the travel pass. With the new travel pass surely they can implement a system of “use or lose”. Why should the taxpayer pay for something that isn’t being used? If a pensioners travel pass is cancelled due to lack of use they should be allowed to reapply but simply making blind payments is ridiculous

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    Mute Soccer T's
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    May 22nd 2017, 2:41 PM

    @Soccer T’s: Or maybe we should just offer giving every adult children’s allowance just in case they have kids

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    Mute dead right
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    May 22nd 2017, 2:56 PM

    @abcyz: there wasnt much media challenge on the issue beacuse it was never said ah well you got 26 likes good try

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    Mute Stouts O Shea
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    May 22nd 2017, 5:25 PM

    @Soccer T’s: your day s of scewing the public are over

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello.
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    May 22nd 2017, 2:04 PM

    Took their sweet time voting, didn’t they.

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    Mute Gerry Carroll
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    May 22nd 2017, 2:57 PM

    Poor mites – already paid more than 40% over the private companies drivers and greed drive them to look for more – diddums. The blatant bleating for ‘all stakeholders’ to get involved was embarrassing; for stakeholders read chequebooks. I’m far from a fan of Transport Minister Ross but in this instance he was right not to dip further into taxpayers’ pockets to transfer their money directly into already overpaid drivers rabid with greed. Looking for a pay rise from a company already trading at a loss? Three weeks on strike and they got a pay cut, redundancies, new rosters, picking litter from buses they never did before, reduced overtime – good work lads.

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    Mute Terry Cahill
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    May 22nd 2017, 1:59 PM

    Scared sitless ! So they were !

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    Mute Paul
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    May 22nd 2017, 1:48 PM

    Shocked they back it and by a high margin.

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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    May 22nd 2017, 2:12 PM

    @Paul:
    Didn’t thing that would pass

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    Mute Gavin Redmond
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    May 22nd 2017, 2:17 PM

    And the unions saying there still may be a possibility of strike if the company change the agreement. So who is calling the shots.

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    Mute Paul
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    May 22nd 2017, 1:48 PM

    Shocked they back it and by a high margin.

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    Mute Gerry Carroll
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    May 22nd 2017, 4:39 PM

    Not sure it was the union leaving the charge on this – may have been the drivers driving (no pun intended) the union to enable their fanciful out of touch with reality demands

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    Mute Eric Djemba-Djemba
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    May 22nd 2017, 10:00 PM

    Let it rot and die so it can be privatised and ran properly by a company. Don’t know anybody from Wexford that chooses bus eireann over the Wexford bus service as they are miles apart in quality and reliability best thing to ever happen.

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    Mute Jimmy jones
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    May 22nd 2017, 4:35 PM

    What an overpaid clown Dermot o Leary is . He has made them all look very silly

    14
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