Dive Brief:
- Half of women say they skip or delay medical care, citing cost, long wait times and transportation issues as barriers, according to the results of the 2024 Deloitte Health Care Consumer Survey, released Sept. 10.
- Because of cost, women are most likely to skip care related to acute illness, like the cold or flu; preventive care; and women’s health issues, the survey found.
- Of the more than 2,000 U.S. consumers surveyed, women were 35% more likely to skip care than men. Thirty-seven percent of men reported skipping or delaying medical care in the past year.
Dive Insight:
Women are 31% more likely to skip medical care than men when it comes to cost, the survey found. And 44% of the women surveyed said they are “not prepared” or “slightly prepared” to pay $500 to cover a medical emergency, compared to 25% of men who said they were unprepared to pay for medical emergencies.
“These findings are a stark reminder of how women’s health and wealth are inextricably intertwined. By dismantling the barriers women have identified, together we can create a future where women don’t have to make the difficult choice between maintaining their health or maintaining their financial wellbeing,” Dr. Kulleni Gebreyes, U.S. chief health equity officer and managing principal of life sciences and health care for Deloitte Consulting LLP, said in a statement.
A recent report by Bank of America found that a gender gap remains when it comes to feelings of financial wellness, with men reporting a score of 53 out of 100 and women a score of 46.
The worsening physical health of workers can have detrimental effects on employers, a Gallup research director previously said. Beyond the impact on workers’ well-being, poor health can lead to higher levels of absenteeism and higher healthcare costs for companies, the director said.