It’s an undeniable truth in healthcare: Regular screenings for cancer, heart disease and other serious conditions save lives.
So why do many women skip or delay them?
A new Hologic-commissioned survey from Gallup reveals that while most women across the United States understand the significance of regular health screenings, 43% said they have missed or postponed them. A variety of hurdles cause this vast “Screening Action Gap,” including women lacking clear information about screenings, anxiety about medical tests, difficulty in carving out time amid parenting and other responsibilities, and concerns about pain or discomfort.
Altogether, the survey shows many women struggling to make their health a top priority.
Quote from Stephen P. MacMillan, Chairman
“This survey, our first-ever focused on the U.S., reveals so much about the challenges women face when prioritizing their health. It’s sobering to think that tens of millions of American women miss life-changing screenings because of cost, anxiety and prior negative experiences. Our hope is that this survey will be the impetus for more screening awareness, education and policy,”
The nationally representative survey asked 4,001 women about their experiences and perspectives on health. It builds on the annual Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, which captures the views of women and girls from more than 140 countries.
Key findings of the U.S. survey include:
- The Screening Action Gap:
- 90% of women recognize the importance of regular health screenings, but more than 40% have skipped or delayed a recommended test.
- Women are most likely to have skipped screenings for breast (41%), cervical (35%) and colorectal (33%) cancers.
- Women’s main reasons for skipping or delaying a recommended screening include not knowing the screening was necessary or important for them (24%), anxiety about tests (20%), lack of time (20%) or concerns about pain or discomfort (17%).
- Drivers of the Screening Action Gap:
- Lack of information: Only about 4 in 10 women say they are “very confident” in knowing which screenings they need based on their age and risk factors. More broadly, many women — including 3 in 10 adult Gen Z women and just under 1 in 4 Millennials — say it’s hard for them to find the health information they need.
- Lack of communication with healthcare professionals: Women who discuss screenings with healthcare professionals are more likely to get screened. However, these crucial conversations about screenings often do not occur.
- Emotional health: More than 6 in 10 women, including 75% of women with children in their home, say it is hard to make their health a top priority. Among these women, the top two barriers are feeling overwhelmed (72%) and emotional health (60%).
