(NewsNation) — A little less than half of American women have missed vital health screenings, despite numerous studies indicating that regular screenings save lives, improve early detection, and facilitate treatment, according to a new survey.
The Hologic Global Women’s Health Index surveyed 4,001 women, and found that 43% of them skipped their health screenings.
The gap between the 90% of women who believe regular health screenings are important and the 43% who have missed or delayed screenings at some point is most obvious for serious conditions like breast, cervical, and colon cancers, Axios reported.
This data comes as younger adults are getting diagnosed with higher rates of cancer.
41% of women said they skipped or delayed getting a screening for breast cancer, 35% said for cervical cancer and 33% said for colon cancer.
Among the reasons why women said they missed screening was either because of lack of information about the importance, test anxiety, lack of time or concerns about pain or discomfort.
Black women were more likely to say regular health screenings are very important, but were less likely to have spoken with a healthcare professional about cervical cancer screening compared to white women.
63% of women, including 75% of those with children at home, struggle to prioritize their health. Of these, 72% cite feeling overwhelmed as a top barrier, according to the survey.
The Food and Drug Administration most recently approved take-home screening tests for colon cancer, also known as FIT kits.
University Hospitals of Northern Ohio has a breakdown of recommended health screenings by age.
