More than nine in 10 (95%) GPs claim their patients are mimicking the illnesses suffered by their favourite soap stars, TV presenters and news readers by reporting symptoms based on what they’ve seen and read.
More than nine in 10 (95%) GPs claim their patients are mimicking the illnesses suffered by their favourite soap stars, TV presenters and news readers by reporting symptoms based on what they’ve seen and read.
Norwich Union Healthcare’s study of more than 200 GPs and 1,000 consumers also found that nearly two-thirds (60%) of GPs think the increasing number of medical issues covered by soaps, lifestyle programmes such as Richard and Judy, newspapers and magazines are making their patients paranoid. Blanket coverage of the hospital superbug MRSA, Eastender Dot Cotton’s struggle with cancer and Russell Owen’s battle with testicular cancer in Hollyoaks are the types of story that are causing concern.
The exposure is encouraging patients to self-diagnose by seeking advice from friends and family before speaking to their GPs. Nearly nine in 10 GPs (87%) claim their patients arrive at an appointment having already decided on their diagnosis. A further two-thirds (68%) claim this conclusion has been derived by the patient on the advice of friends and family.
And consumers agree - those questioned put talking to friends and family top of the list for giving them advice when trying to make a self-diagnosis (29%) ahead of medical books and literature (19%), NHS Direct (11%) and the internet (9%).
Dr Doug Wright, research author at Norwich Union Healthcare says: "The media has a really beneficial role in raising awareness about significant healthcare issues and this should not be underestimated. Many topics featured can strike a chord with the public by highlighting the importance of self checks and encouraging people to seek early treatment.
"However, we shouldn’t let these issues scare us. Being aware of our bodies, noting any changes that occur and researching symptoms using the wealth of information available to us is always a good start but if you have any real concerns your first stop must always be your GP."
The research shows it’s important to go to a GP’s appointment with symptoms and not a pre-conceived diagnosis. Nearly all the GPs surveyed (96%) believe it is easy to come up with the wrong conclusion thanks to the sheer amount of information available to the average consumer. In fact, GPs think that more than one in two (51%) of their patients, who arrive at an appointment with a self-diagnosis, arrive with the wrong one.
However, trusting our GPs to make the right decision about our healthcare should not cause us concern - over four-fifths of those polled (86%) claimed they were confident or very confident in their GP.
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Media contacts:
Charlotte Ruddlesdin or Jo Misson, QBO Bell Pottinger on 020 7861 2424
Norwich Union Press Office contacts:
Lorna Wiltshire: 07800 695 150
James Evans: 01904 452 791 or 07800 699 525
Notes to editors:
Norwich Union Healthcare commissioned TNS to carry out research amongst a representative sample of 202 GPs from across the UK during March 2005; and commissioned research amongst a representative sample of 1006 GB adults during 24-27 March 2005.
About Norwich Union Healthcare
Norwich Union Healthcare was founded in 1990 as the healthcare arm of Norwich Union and now provides a range of income protection and private medical insurance products that cover over 750,000 lives. It is one of the largest providers of income protection and private medical insurance in the UK.
Norwich Union Healthcare is authorised and regulated by the Financial Service Authority and is a member of the Association of British Insurers and the Financial Ombudsman Service.
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