More than one in five (22%) UK adults have required urgent medical attention after ignoring early symptoms, against the backdrop of continued cost-of-living crisis forcing many to put their health on hold.
The Bupa Wellbeing Index, which polled 8,002 adults, found more than half (51%) said they find it harder to prioritise their health and wellbeing in the current economic climate.
The findings highlight the ‘cost of coping’: the personal toll of managing financial and everyday pressures by putting one’s health on hold.
Many are making short-term trade-offs that can carry longer-term health consequences, adding to their mental load and placing strain on personal wellbeing, the insurer said.
Delay seeking care
Two in five people (41%) admitted they were unable to put their wellbeing first because of the cost of living and almost a quarter (24%) said delaying treatment due to the cost of living made their condition worse.
More than half (56%) of employed respondents polled delayed seeking attention for a physical or mental health concern because they did not want to take time off work.
Many were found to be pushing through health concerns rather than addressing them: 57% of employed respondents continued working when exhausted and 41% had worked through illness rather than take sick leave.
Furthermore, 71% of those who were employed had gone to work while struggling with their mental health, and 33% worried that taking time off for health reasons could affect their career.
Reshaping working lives
But this delay in seeking help was not without its consequences, with the findings pointing to a growing link between poor health, financial pressure and people’s ability to stay in work – affecting their mental health.
Almost half (44%) said financial stress was negatively affecting their mental health, while one in five (20%) felt anxious or stressed every day as a result.
Of those who had been employed in the past 12 months, nearly a quarter (24%) said their mental health was a key factor in leaving a job and one in five (18%) said the same about their physical health.
But the report also indicated business leaders were increasingly seeing how delayed healthcare was affecting people’s wellbeing, as well as retention and productivity.
It found half (50%) of business leaders surveyed said employees were citing wellbeing as a primary reason for leaving, 42% of business leaders reported this had increased during the past 12 months.
And almost nine in 10 (86%) business leaders agreed that delaying healthcare ultimately affected workplace productivity.
Healthier, happier workforces
Chris Carroll, CEO for Bupa Global, India and the UK, said: “This year’s Bupa Wellbeing Index highlights a growing national challenge: financial pressures and competing demands are causing many people to put their health on hold, delaying diagnosis and treatment.
“The consequences are felt not only by individuals, but also across workplaces and the wider economy, as health issues become more complex to treat, recovery takes longer and people struggle to stay well and in work.
“We see employers increasingly investing in workplace health for happy, healthy workforces thriving in their careers, as well as retaining talent to drive productivity and growth.
“It’s essential that government, employers and healthcare providers work together to expand fast access to care, and individuals continue to prioritise their health – from routine appointments to seeking attention from professionals for health concerns.
“Through prevention and earlier intervention, we can all help people stay well, remain in work and build a healthier, more resilient economy.”
Dr Jennifer Dixon, DBE, chief executive of the Health Foundation, noted the report highlighted the close links between health, work and financial security, and the importance of creating conditions that made it easier for people to stay healthy.
She said: “The pressures people face in their daily lives can make it harder to prioritise their health, seek support early and stay well.
“Prevention and early intervention, alongside healthier working lives, must be part of the response, including better support from public services and employers.”
Trusted sources of information
Alastair Campbell, writer, podcaster, communicator and political strategist, said: “So many of the problems facing the United Kingdom relate to health, and so much of what we read about our health online is just wrong. It is tempting, given how much we go online in so many parts of our lives, to think that this is where we find all the answers to our health issues too. But you have to be sure you can trust the source of the information, and all too often you cannot.
“This year’s Bupa Wellbeing Index draws attention to the severe economic pressures that all too often lead people to neglect their health. It is these life pressures that lead people to cut corners when they have a concern for themselves or a family member, and turn to a bot or an influencer rather than a qualified health professional. Understandable, perhaps, but it can make things worse.
“As individuals, we know how much our mental and physical health matters. As a nation, we know that a healthy nation will be stronger and more prosperous. But we are seeing the catastrophic consequences of failing to understand that prevention is better than cure.
“Having a healthy relationship with the online world matters in the pursuit of individual and societal wellbeing. Real expertise matters, and it is important people know where to find it.”
