Young people lack information in key areas of healthcare, survey finds

Young people feel under informed in key areas of healthcare and do not identify some key healthcare professionals as trusted sources of advice, according to new data to be presented today at a London healthcare conference hosted by biopharmaceutical company AbbVie. Experts at the Going Beyond Medicine conference will argue the importance of health and education systems having better links in order to promote better lifelong confidence in seeking help and self-managing medical conditions.

The survey of 1002 healthy 15-18 year olds (undertaken by Censuswide) asked a range of questions about confidence and trust in sources of healthcare advice. Among the key findings were:

• More than double the number of respondents reported having had no teaching on mental health conditions compared to physical, sexual or fitness health advice; and more than 1 in 12 report they would not seek advice on mental health problems
• Nearly half (45.7 per cent) reported ignoring healthcare symptoms to avoid seeing a healthcare professional in the past year
• Less than one percent of young people selected a pharmacist as a top source of advice on physical, mental or sexual health; less than the number who identified internet search engines. This comes despite the key role policy makers hope pharmacy can play in sharing load with GPs
• While GPs come out as preferred source of healthcare advice across the board, many young people look outside of healthcare professionals for sexual health advice. 16 per cent would look to the internet and 1 in 10 would ask advice from a friend
• Respondents were less likely to talk to a healthcare professional about mental health compared to physical health. And also more likely to talk to their friends about mental health versus physical.
• Overall boys report higher levels of confidence in their own health than girls, less trust in healthcare professionals and greater likelihood to trust the internet and friends

Matt Regan, UK General Manager of AbbVie said:

One of the themes we are interested in examining at AbbVie is how the level of confidence people have in their own healthcare can promote good choices and enable them take control when they experience illness. ‘Patient activation’ is something the NHS wants to promote as it is associated with better health outcomes and reduced costs of healthcare. Younger people are often overlooked in this discussion as they have the greatest overall good health in society but this polling indicates we may be storing up problems.

Carrie Grant broadcaster, presenter and patient said:

The sad truth is that, although we think of this age group as being free of needing to care about their health, an increasingly large proportion will be diagnosed with a chronic health condition while a teenager. They will then need to navigate the healthcare system to manage and ultimately hold personal responsibility for the rest of their lives. These young people are going to need self-confidence and resilience to be able to master that and this poll indicates how much more we still need to do to equip them with the skills they need.

Emma Rigby, Chief Executive of the Association for Young People’s Health said:

This work highlights the importance of improving young people’s experience of primary care and supporting GPs to work effectively with young people.  It also highlights the key role that health education in schools and colleges should play in supporting young people’s health.  Giving young people better information about how they can seek help in a safe and youth friendly way is essential to support young people’s physical and emotional health and wellbeing.