In this summer period, many French people with a health problem prefer to go to the emergency room, see a pharmacist or look for solutions on the Internet rather than going to the doctor. Here’s why.
- The main reasons for teleconsultation on Qare during the summer are of 4 types: recurring everyday pathologies (cystitis, cold, gastro…), essentials (renewal of prescription, prescription of vaccines…), “summer upsurges ” (insect bites, loss of voice, insomnia, falls, burns, etc.) and good resolutions (accompaniment to weaning from addictions, mental health therapy, etc.).
Every year in summer, medical consultations drop by 25% according to figures from Health Insurance. To understand this marked decrease, Qare questioned the French.
medical deserts
Among the main obstacles identified by the French, 35% underline the absence of their attending physician due to holidays, and therefore inevitably longer waiting times in the office (32%), while 15% state that they find themselves in a place that is too isolated and therefore too far from a health professional. A smaller proportion (10%) do not find the time to consult due to an extremely busy summer schedule.
“And this year, these brakes are further accentuated by the health context: the vaccination campaign will mobilize a large part of the medical staff this summer, and therefore the usual replacements for city surgeries”, comment the authors of the survey.
Health problems postponed to the start of the school year
Another explanatory factor: for a quarter of French people, health is no longer a priority on vacation, and they prefer to postpone their medical appointments. For mental health, for example, the majority of French people do not intend to dwell on it this summer, at least medically speaking: 88% do not wish to consult a mental health professional (psychologist, psychiatrist).
What alternative solutions to the doctor?
While on the move, on a trip or when their general practitioner is on vacation, 46% of French people explain that they turn to alternative solutions to continue to take care of themselves and to obtain medical advice.
Among the solutions most used during this period, 38% go to a pharmacy at their resort, 15% prefer emergencies (even more among parents of young children / 20%), and 13% surf on the Internet to find information. Teleconsultation is also a practice that is increasingly used: 1 in 10 French people, all generations combined, say they favor this solution for quick access to medical advice.
Young people who remain concerned about their health
Paradoxically, the young populations (18-24 and 25-34) seem to be the least carefree about their health this summer. 21% admit to being more stressed during the holidays and anticipating all the problems that could happen to them (+8 points more than the national average) and 15% will take advantage of this summer weather to make their appointment before the start of the school year in September (+ 7 points more than the national average). They are also the ones who say they want to take care of their psychological health the most in the near future: 19% plan to consult a mental health specialist (vs. 12% among the general population), whether in September or during their summer holidays (13% ).
Doctor Fanny Jacq, psychiatrist, analyzes: “students and younger generations have been deeply affected by the Covid-19 crisis. A sense of injustice mixed with concern has emerged since the beginning of the year. Even if the recent lifting of restrictions acts as a dressing for this population, the crisis has caused major changes, whether in the change of vocation, entry into the labor market, social isolation.In the end, they are the ones who have understood the most that asking for a support should not be taboo!”
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