There has been a massive surge in the number of people looking for solutions to self-manage and improve their health as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, research shows.
Research carried out for Aviva shows that while only 40% of people have had any type of health check in the past 12 months.
Increased concerns around respiratory health, mental health, diet and nutrition seem to be the main drivers behind the increase in interest.
The Aviva research – outlined in a report called The changing health landscape – embracing a new approach – reveals that almost half (48%) of those polled said they would now be more likely to take up a health check opportunity than they would have done before the pandemic.
When asked about their overall health concerns during the pandemic, mental health worries are the most prevalent with 39% of people reporting an increase in concern, a trend that can be seen across all age groups.
Concerns about diet and nutritional health have also increased for 32% of respondents. Respiratory health is the third biggest area of concern with 32% of those polled saying they were more concerned now than before, which is to be expected given the respiratory implications of COVID-19.
Paul Brencher, managing director, Individual Protection, at Aviva said: “We give our cars an annual MOT, but do we do the same for our health and wellbeing? The traditional ‘wait and see’ attitude to our health is becoming increasingly unpopular.”
The insight comes as the insurer launches the Aviva DigiCare+ health and wellbeing app for their new and existing individual advised protection customers.
Health apps, fitness trackers, wellbeing services and digital GPs were all popular, but an annual health check was rated most highly with 69% of those polled saying it was the benefit they liked the most. Wellbeing (51%) and nutrition services (43%) also scored highly.
With health checks generally offered only at certain ages or through private healthcare, it is perhaps unsurprising that 60% of respondents have not had a health check in the last 12 months.
There is evidence however of a growing appetite among consumers to take early control of their health with nearly half (48%) saying they were more likely to now take a health check if they were offered one than before the pandemic.
Those aged 16-24 were more likely than other age groups to have had a health check in the last year, indicating that young adults have a keen interest in preventative healthcare. Over 2 in 5 (46%) of those aged 16-24 had a health check in the last 12 months, whereas just over a third (34%) of respondents aged 45-54 said the same.
Brencher added: “In the past we’ve generally been content to restrict our interest in health and medical appointments to times when we felt significantly unwell. This appears to be changing, for example with most respondents welcoming the idea of having an annual health check. The younger age group seem to have already embraced this approach, indicating an awareness that waiting for something to go wrong isn’t the most effective way to stay healthy.
“With regular wellbeing and nutritional advice also scoring highly in our survey, we can see that looking after our health on a day-to-day basis is a key aspect in the way we’d choose to live our lives.
“Of course, anyone can be unfortunate enough to contract a serious health condition, but our research shows that through COVID-19, perhaps we’re starting to understand the benefits of maintaining a healthier lifestyle and taking a greater interest in preventing ill-health.
“Keeping healthy can help prevent many conditions developing, for example diabetes, but it might also better prepare us to be able to better cope with any serious health issues that may arise in the future.”