Table 1.
Endorsement of barriers to help-seeking by demographic groups.
| Q: Which of the following might put you off going to the doctor? | Total | Gender |
Age in years |
Occupation (socio-economic status) |
Ethnicity |
Relationship status |
Long-standing illness/disability/infirmary |
||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | Men | 16–24 | 25–44 | 45–54 | 55–64 | 65–74 | 75+ | Managerial | Intermediate | Routine | Full-time students | Unclassifieda | White | Non-white | No partner | Partnered | No | Yes | |||
| a) I find it embarrassing talking to the doctor about my symptoms | % (n) | 9.0 (174) | 10.3 (110) | 7.3 (64) | 20.4 (29) | 10.7 (59) | 8.4 (26) | 8.3 (28) | 4.8 (16) | 6.0 (16) | 7.8 (41) | 8.4 (29) | 10.1 (44) | 20.8 (15) | 7.9 (45) | 9.1 (161) | 7.9 (13) | 9.9 (89) | 8.2 (85) | 8.6 (94) | 9.4 (80) |
| OR (95% CI)b | – | 1.00 | 0.71 (0.51–0.99) | 3.26 (1.83–5.81) | 1.44 (0.89–2.33) | 1.06 (0.61–1.86) | 1.00 | 0.54 (0.29–1.03) | 0.64 (0.34–1.22) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1.00 | 1.51 (1.08–2.12) | |
| b) I would be worried about wasting the doctor's time | % (n) | 19.5 (380) | 21.1 (226) | 17.6 (154) | 26.8 (38) | 18.8 (104) | 20.1 (62) | 19.4 (65) | 18.5 (62) | 18.2 (49) | 16.1 (84) | 21.5 (74) | 20.5 (89) | 27.8 (20) | 19.8 (113) | 20.0 (355) | 15.2 (25) | 21.1 (190) | 18.2 (190) | 18.7 (204) | 20.8 (176) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | 1.00 | 0.80 (0.63–1.00) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| c) My doctor is difficult to talk to | % (n) | 7.3 (141) | 8.3 (89) | 5.9 (52) | 15.5 (22) | 7.6 (42) | 9.4 (29) | 6.0 (20) | 4.5 (15) | 4.8 (13) | 6.5 (34) | 7.3 (25) | 8.5 (37) | 9.7 (7) | 6.7 (38) | 7.2 (128) | 7.9 (13) | 8.2 (74) | 6.4 (67) | 7.1 (78) | 7.4 (63) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | 1.00 | 0.70 (0.49–1.00) | 2.95 (1.55–5.60) | 1.29 (0.75–2.25) | 1.66 (0.92–3.00) | 1.00 | 0.77 (0.39–1.53) | 0.80 (0.39–1.64) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| d) I find it difficult to get an appointment with a particular doctor | % (n) | 41.8 (813) | 47.0 (502) | 35.5 (311) | 51.4 (73) | 45.2 (250) | 42.1 (130) | 40.2 (135) | 36.6 (123) | 37.9 (102) | 37.1 (194) | 47.8 (165) | 46.3 (201) | 38.9 (28) | 39.4 (225) | 42.1 (749) | 38.2 (63) | 41.5 (374) | 42.1 (439) | 40.0 (437) | 44.2 (375) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | 1.00 | 0.63 (0.52–0.76) | 2.14 (1.35–3.38) | 1.36 (1.02–1.80) | 1.14 (0.83–1.58) | 1.00 | 0.89 (0.64–1.25) | 0.92 (0.62–1.36) | 1.00 | 1.49 (1.13–1.98) | 1.41 (1.09–1.84) | 0.68 (0.38–1.23) | 1.11 (0.82–1.50) | – | – | – | – | 1.00 | 1.39 (1.14–1.70) | |
| e) I find it difficult to get an appointment with a doctor at a convenient time | % (n) | 41.5 (807) | 44.1 (471) | 38.4 (336) | 52.8 (75) | 49.0 (271) | 44.3 (137) | 38.7 (130) | 33.0 (111) | 30.9 (83) | 42.1 (220) | 44.9 (155) | 47.7 (207) | 40.3 (29) | 34.3 (196) | 41.3 (735) | 43.0 (71) | 42.2 (381) | 40.8 (426) | 43.0 (470) | 39.7 (337) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | 1.00 | 0.80 (0.67–0.97) | 1.79 (1.21–2.66) | 1.52 (1.15–2.00) | 1.27 (0.93–1.74) | 1.00 | 0.80 (0.58–1.10) | 0.71 (0.50–0.99) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| f) I would be too busy to make time to go to the doctor | % (n) | 13.6 (265) | 13.1 (140) | 14.3 (125) | 20.4 (29) | 21.0 (116) | 15.9 (49) | 14.6 (49) | 5.7 (19) | 1.1 (3) | 19.9 (104) | 15.4 (53) | 18.4 (80) | 12.5 (9) | 3.3 (19) | 13.5 (240) | 15.2 (25) | 12.1 (109) | 15.0 (156) | 17.0 (186) | 9.3 (79) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | – | – | 2.00 (1.14–3.49) | 1.54 (1.06–2.22) | 1.09 (0.71–1.69) | 1.00 | 0.49 (0.28–0.86) | 0.16 (0.04–0.54) | 1.00 | 0.75 (0.52–1.09) | 0.87 (0.63–1.21) | 0.36 (0.16–0.82) | 0.29 (0.17–0.50) | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| g) I have too many other things to worry about | % (n) | 13.6 (265) | 14.6 (156) | 12.4 (109) | 19.7 (28) | 19.0 (105) | 17.2 (53) | 11.6 (39) | 7.1 (24) | 6.0 (16) | 16.3 (85) | 15.1 (52) | 15.7 (68) | 16.7 (12) | 8.4 (48) | 13.6 (242) | 13.9 (23) | 14.1 (127) | 13.2 (138) | 15.0 (164) | 11.9 (101) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | – | – | 1.87 (1.10–3.18) | 1.78 (1.20–2.65) | 1.58 (1.01–2.46) | 1.00 | 0.59 (0.34–1.00) | 0.48 (0.26–0.88) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| h) I would be worried about what they might find wrong with me | % (n) | 26.2 (509) | 29.0 (310) | 22.7 (199) | 43.0 (61) | 28.2 (156) | 27.2 (84) | 22.3 (75) | 21.1 (71) | 23.1 (62) | 23.3 (122) | 23.8 (82) | 32.3 (140) | 40.3 (29) | 23.8 (136) | 26.4 (470) | 23.6 (39) | 28.9 (261) | 23.8 (248) | 27.2 (298) | 24.8 (210) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | 1.00 | 0.71 (0.58–0.88) | 2.48 (1.55–3.98) | 1.37 (1.00–1.88) | 1.33 (0.93–1.91) | 1.00 | 1.00 (0.68–1.47) | 1.09 (0.70–1.71) | 1.00 | 0.98 (0.71–1.36) | 1.51 (1.13–2.01) | 1.28 (0.71–2.32) | 1.10 (0.78–1.55) | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| i) I would be worried about what tests they might want to do | % (n) | 18.8 (365) | 21.1 (225) | 16.0 (140) | 29.6 (42) | 20.8 (115) | 24.3 (75) | 14.9 (50) | 13.4 (45) | 14.1 (38) | 14.7 (77) | 21.7 (75) | 22.8 (99) | 26.4 (19) | 16.6 (95) | 18.8 (334) | 18.8 (31) | 20.0 (180) | 17.7 (185) | 19.0 (208) | 18.5 (157) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | 1.00 | 0.73 (0.58–0.93) | 2.36 (1.40–3.98) | 1.53 (1.06–2.21) | 1.89 (1.27–2.83) | 1.00 | 0.87 (0.55–1.38) | 0.87 (0.52–1.48) | 1.00 | 1.59 (1.11–2.28) | 1.67 (1.20–2.34) | 1.35 (0.70–2.61) | 1.52 (1.03–2.25) | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| j) I wouldn't feel confident talking about my symptom(s) with the doctor | % (n) | 8.6 (168) | 9.7 (104) | 7.3 (64) | 11.3 (16) | 9.6 (53) | 7.4 (23) | 9.8 (33) | 7.4 (25) | 6.7 (18) | 5.7 (30) | 8.1 (28) | 11.3 (49) | 11.1 (8) | 9.3 (53) | 8.6 (152) | 9.7 (16) | 9.2 (83) | 8.2 (85) | 7.8 (85) | 9.7 (82) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1.00 | 1.45 (0.85–2.48) | 2.09 (1.30–3.36) | 2.05 (0.90–4.67) | 1.68 (1.06–2.68) | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| k) I have had a bad experience at the doctor's in the past | % (n) | 16.0 (312) | 18.6 (199) | 12.9 (113) | 15.5 (22) | 22.4 (124) | 14.9 (46) | 17.6 (59) | 8.9 (30) | 11.5 (31) | 16.6 (87) | 18.0 (62) | 19.6 (85) | 13.9 (10) | 11.9 (68) | 16.1 (287) | 15.2 (25) | 14.5 (131) | 17.4 (181) | 13.4 (146) | 19.5 (165) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | 1.00 | 0.68 (0.53–0.88) | 1.25 (0.72–2.20) | 1.67 (1.16–2.39) | 0.92 (0.60–1.41) | 1.00 | 0.45 (0.28–0.72) | 0.57 (0.35–0.92) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1.00 | 1.30 (1.00–1.68) | 1.00 | 2.16 (1.65–2.82) | |
| l) I would be worried the doctor wouldn't take my symptom(s) seriously | % (n) | 18.4 (357) | 20.9 (223) | 15.3 (134) | 23.9 (34) | 24.8 (137) | 18.1 (56) | 15.5 (52) | 14.0 (47) | 11.5 (31) | 17.6 (92) | 18.6 (64) | 23.3 (101) | 23.6 (17) | 14.5 (83) | 18.1 (321) | 21.8 (36) | 18.1 (163) | 18.6 (194) | 18.1 (198) | 18.6 (158) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | 1.00 | 0.71 (0.56–0.90) | 1.95 (1.19–3.20) | 1.97 (1.37–2.83) | 1.29 (0.85–1.95) | 1.00 | 0.91 (0.59–1.40) | 0.69 (0.42–1.11) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1.00 | 1.34 (1.04–1.72) | |
| m) I don't want to be seen as somebody who makes a fuss | % (n) | 34.8 (676) | 36.7 (392) | 32.4 (284) | 34.5 (49) | 33.6 (186) | 33.3 (103) | 33.6 (113) | 35.4 (119) | 39.4 (106) | 32.1 (168) | 33.9 (117) | 33.9 (147) | 43.1 (31) | 37.3 (213) | 35.6 (632) | 26.7 (44) | 37.4 (337) | 32.5 (339) | 32.8 (359) | 37.4 (317) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1.00 | 0.64 (0.45–0.92) | 1.00 | 0.80 (0.66–0.96) | – | – | |
| n) I don't like having to talk to the GP receptionist about my symptom(s) | % (n) | 39.5 (769) | 43.2 (462) | 35.1 (307) | 34.5 (49) | 43.6 (241) | 37.5 (116) | 39.9 (134) | 41.4 (139) | 33.5 (90) | 35.0 (183) | 43.2 (149) | 43.3 (188) | 44.4 (32) | 38.0 (217) | 40.2 (715) | 32.1 (53) | 37.6 (339) | 41.2 (430) | 38.6 (422) | 40.9 (347) |
| OR (95% CI) | – | 1.00 | 0.72 (0.59–0.86) | 0.66 (0.41–1.05) | 1.22 (0.92–1.62) | 0.93 (0.68–1.29) | 1.00 | 1.10 (0.79–1.52) | 0.76 (0.51–1.12) | 1.00 | 1.39 (1.05–1.85) | 1.46 (1.12–1.90) | 2.10 (1.17–3.78) | 1.24 (0.92–1.68) | 1.00 | 0.64 (0.45–0.91) | – | – | – | – | |
Bold indicates a significant odds ratio (P < 0.05).
a
Composition: 14.1: never worked n = 68/14.2: long-term unemployed n = 20/16.0; occupations not classified or inadequately stated n = 0/17.0; and not classifiable for other reasons n = 497.
b
Multivariate backwards stepwise logistic regression. All ORs are adjusted for age, gender, socio-economic status, ethnic group, relationship status and long-term illness. ‘Do not know’ responses and refusals treated as missing.