People being better informed about the effects of lifestyle choices also helps them stay healthy and avoid costly avoidable illnesses. This in turn cuts down costs to healthcare systems which are under pressure as a result of more people living with chronic disease, the average age of populations rising, the cost of medical treatments and medicines, and restrictions on healthcare budgets.
Our annual international Bupa Health Pulse survey looks at people's attitudes towards their health and healthcare across 13 countries around the world. This year we explored how people are engaging with medical professionals and accessing health information and services, to try to identify the key opportunities and barriers to patients becoming better informed and more engaged in managing their health.
