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When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”–Matthew 9:12 (NLT)

A sick person is someone who suffers from an illness, disease or infirmity. Doctors do not only save lives but help make a difference in the lives of sick persons by helping them minimize pain, recover from a disease faster or learn to live with a disabling injury. So why do some people avoid seeking medical care when they fall ill?

Unfortunately, people often avoid seeking medical care even when they suspect it may be necessary and the reasons vary. A study which looked at Why People Avoid Medical Care, identified three (3) major categories of reasons. [1] These include:

  1. Those with negative perceptions of physicians or healthcare organizations.
  2. Those that felt that there was no need to seek medical care, often because they expected their illness or symptoms to improve over time.
  3. Traditional barriers to medical care, such as high cost, no health insurance, and time constraints.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), men in particular seem to have a harder time rationalizing medical care and are 24% less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year. A reason for this may be the fact that many men expect their conditions to improve over time without medical intervention. Other reasons could be issues around conflicting schedules and making out time for appointments, fear and worry about a bad diagnosis or prognosis, and not wanting to feelvulnerable. Some men also tend to withhold information from doctors. Unlike men, it’s not difficult for a woman to express her feelings. Men on the other hand tend not to discuss their feelings and as a result, find it difficult to open up.

Unfortunately, avoiding medical care may result in late detection of disease, reduced chances of survival, and preventable long term disabilities. [2] When you fail to visit a physician promptly, the chances of missing the early warning signs of a serious condition are more likely.Is there no medicine in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is there no healing for the wounds of my people? –Jerimiah 8:22 (NLT) Early diagnosis is critical in the management of many chronic and life threatening diseases including cancer. Evidence shows that among breast cancer cases, patient delay of more than 3 months is associated with lower survival. [3] Similarly, men with prostate cancer who are diagnosed at an early stage have a much better prognosis compared to those who show up late.

If you or a loved one is hesitant about seeking medical care, remember that early detection of an ailment gives you the best chance for getting the right treatment quickly, thereby avoiding any complications. No matter what your reason may be for avoiding medical care, remember what the scripture says in 3 John 1:2 –Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. (NIV) It is God’s will for you to enjoy good health, and it is okay for you to see a physician if you fall sick; in actual fact, He recommends it!

REFERENCES

[1] V Ardnt, T Sturmer, C Stegmaier, H Ziegler et al. Patient delay and stage of diagnosis among breast cancer patients in Germany – a population based study

[2] Kannan VD, Veazie PJ. Predictors of avoiding medical care and reasons for avoidance behavior.

[3]  V Ardnt, T Sturme, C Stegmaier, H Ziegler et al.Provider delay among patients with breast cancer in Germany: a population-based study