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We are discouraged by waiting for an appointment, no referral, we are afraid or we hope that the symptoms will go away on their own – such reasons were given by the respondents, explaining why they did not come for diagnostic tests. These are the results of the report of the Central Statistical Office on health protection.
The CSO published the report “Health and health care in 2016”. It includes, among others: the results of the study “Health care in households in 2016”, in which Poles were asked what laboratory tests they used in clinics during 2016.
The report shows that 46 percent. of the respondents during 2016 had at least one laboratory test performed. Morphology (42%) was the most frequently indicated, followed by a general urinalysis (approx. 36%).
18,2 percent had cytology. of the surveyed women, and the PSA test (blood test to measure the concentration of prostate-specific antigen, which makes it easier to detect prostate cancer) – 5,6 percent. men.
– Cytology is recommended in women aged 25-59, says Marta Mańczuk, head of the Primary Cancer Prevention Unit at the Epidemiology Department of the Oncology Center. – Every three years it should be done by ladies with a correct previous result. If it was abnormal, the test must be repeated more often.
7,3 percent declared that mammography had been performed. women. This examination – prophylactically – is recommended every two years in women aged 50 to 69 years.
Ultrasound – the most common imaging test
The Central Statistical Office also examined how often Poles perform imaging tests such as: computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electrocardiogram (EKG), Holter examination, echocardiogram (heart echo), ultrasound, X-ray, spirometry , urography, mammography, biopsy, gastroscopy and colonoscopy.
Performing at least one of these studies in 2016 was declared by 31 percent. test persons. More often women than men (37% compared to approx. 25%) and inhabitants of cities than rural areas (35,5% compared to 25%).
The respondents most often declared that in 2016 they had performed tests in outpatient care: USG (13,5%), ECG (13% and X-ray (10%). USG was used much more often by women (18,5%). ) than men (8%). ECG was performed by 14% of women and 12% of men, while RTG was performed by 10% of women and almost the same number of men.
Less frequently performed tests were: echocardiogram (4,8%), computed tomography (3,8%), magnetic resonance imaging (2,3%), spirometry (2,2%), Holter test (2%) , gastroscopy (1,4%), colonoscopy (1,1%) and biopsy (1%). PET examination, using positron-emitting radioactive elements and mainly used in oncology, cardiology and neurology, was performed in 0,1% of patients. respondents.
What research do Poles pay for out of their own pocket?
Taking into account the laboratory tests performed recently in 2016, most of them were financed from the funds of the National Health Fund or preventive programs. 82 percent PSA level tests were financed by the National Health Fund.
For about 7 percent. the patients paid for their urine morphology and tests. In the case of cytology – 25 percent. patients paid for it with private money. According to the National Health Fund (NFZ) data, less than 19 percent of the cervical cancer preventive program was used for cytology. women in the so-called screening age, i.e. 25-59 years.
– Many women receive care in private gynecological clinics – says Mańczuk. – In such offices, the doctor usually takes a cytology once a year and the cost of the examination is already included in the cost of the visit. The patient then does not go to the NHF system, which collects information about cytology performed as part of the preventive program.
The situation is slightly different in the case of mammography, which is used by almost 40% of patients under the breast cancer early detection program. women aged 50-69. – This examination is much more expensive than the cytology, and also requires specialized equipment, and here women are more likely to use the financial examination by the National Health Fund – emphasizes Mańczuk. – Unfortunately, this percentage is also far from satisfactory to be able to speak of an effective prophylaxis. In Scandinavian countries, which are often set as a model when it comes to cancer prevention, over 90% of patients use preventive examinations. eligible women.
We paid for a lot of genetic testing ourselves
Up to 40 percent of household budgets have been financed. genetic research.
– The National Health Fund allocates approx. 1 thousand zlotys per patient. PLN for all examinations and consultations with a geneticist for the whole year – explains Dr. Katarzyna Wertheim-Tysarowska, head of the Laboratory of Hereditary Diseases Research at the Medical Genetics Department of the Institute of Mother and Child. – However, in order to make a diagnosis, doctors more and more often need more complicated and therefore more expensive tests, the cost of which exceeds this limit, and then the patient performs them privately.
Dr. Wertheim-Tysarowska adds that parents often prefer to pay for genetic tests rather than wait several months to a year to get to a genetic clinic under the National Health Fund.
Most often – over 20 percent. – patients privately paid for an ultrasound scan. We also pay from our own pocket for magnetic resonance imaging (about 19 percent), biopsy or heart echo (over 14 percent each). Only some studies have been carried out in occupational medicine. Funding for research from this source was mostly related to spirometry and X-ray examinations (almost 9% each) or ECG (over 5%).
They didn’t do research more often in cities
In 2016, 2,1% of respondents did not use diagnostic tests, despite the existence of such a need. people (1,9% of men and 2,3% of women). Older people did not perform this type of research more often – in the 60-69 age group (this percentage constituted 3,4%). More urban residents (2,6%) than rural residents (1,4%) refused to perform the necessary diagnostic tests.
The three most common reasons for not using the study among men were:
– long waiting time for the appointment (over 25%),
– fear (over 21%)
– no referral (over 14%)
The women did not do the research:
– because they did not have a referral (almost 23 percent)
– due to the long waiting time for the appointment (over 21%)
– due to lack of money (over 16%).
The reasons for not using diagnostic tests also differed depending on the place of residence. Among the three most important reasons, city dwellers mentioned: long waiting time for the visit (approx. 24%), no referral (approx. 23%) and fear of being examined (approx. 17%). On the other hand, the inhabitants of the village indicated: lack of money (approx. 29%), long waiting time for the appointment (almost 22%) and waiting for symptoms to disappear (over 16%).
The percentage of people who had a laboratory test performed also increased with the increase in the level of monthly income per person in the household – from almost 29 percent. in the group of respondents with an income of up to PLN 800 to almost 56 percent. among people with an income above PLN 1600.