2023-05-18 08:00:38
Doctolib is one of the main online appointment booking sites for healthcare professionals. Are the health habits of the French and more generally of Europeans identical? For the knowledge, Doctolib/Odoxa has launched a survey on relations between European patients and healthcare professionals in three European countries. Results.
What are the health habits in Germany, France and Italy?
In France, Germany or Italy, do patients have the same health habits ? What is their relationship with the health professionals ? How do they behave in the face of the rise of teleconsultation and telemedicine? Are they as concerned about prevention? There are many questions and a recent survey conducted by the Doctolib site and the Odoxa polling institute provides more information.
The survey was conducted in early March 2023 with French (1,005), Italian (1,005) and German (1,005) patients. The results reveal that the French, the Germans and the Italians have different health behaviors. In France, patients generally have the first reflex to wait (30% of cases) when faced with a new health problem or symptom. Waiters, they wait to see if the problem persists or ends spontaneously. This trend particularly concerns young people, 42% in the 18-24 age group and 36% in the 25-34 age group.
More than 80% of French people have consulted their doctor in the past year
In the same situation, half of Italian patients consult a healthcare professional immediately, usually their general practitioner. The behavior of German patients is more complex to decipher, with one out of five patients looking for the causes of their problem on the internet and one out of five patients consulting their general practitioner directly. If the general practitioners et dental surgeons are the most consulted health professionals in the three countries studied, the frequency of consultation varies from one country to another. 82% of French people have seen their doctor in the past year, a figure that rises to 80% in Germany and 72% in Italy. As for dental surgeons, only 56% of French people have made an appointment over the past year, compared to 70% of Germans and 63% of Italians.
In France, three health professions are acclaimed, compared to their European neighbours:
- THE massage therapists (75% of the French have consulted at least 1 during the past year compared to 56% in Italy and 59% in Germany);
- THE nurses (69% in France, against 36% in Italy and 25% in Germany);
- THE midwives (52% in France, against 42% in Italy and 39% in Germany).
Young people have more recourse to psychologists than seniors
In terms of mental health, the differences are mainly observed between generations and not between countries. THE recourse to psychologists among young people aged 18-24 is similar between the three countries (approximately one in two young people has already consulted a psychologist), and higher than that observed among older patients. Among those over 65, approximately 1 patient in 5 has already consulted a psychologist during their lifetime, with minimal differences between countries.
Finally, when it comes to making appointments, patient habits have changed significantly over the past few years. There online appointment booking has become the norm, especially in France. Thus, more than 80% of French people have already made an appointment online. A figure that remains lower in Germany (46%) and Italy (58%). All the data from this survey reveal differences in health behaviors in Germany, France and Italy. Data that should be reconciled and analyzed taking into account the differences in the health system (different care pathways, different care), but also the impact of medical desertification (difficulty of access to certain health professionals ).
Estelle B., Doctor of Pharmacy
Sources
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#French #Italian #health #habits