Recent research from nib New Zealand shows that nearly half of Kiwis are behind on their health checks, yet many believe they're in good health.
Almost 1 in 5 Kiwis either don't think or aren't sure if an annual general health screening is necessary. This is even the case for your usual dental checks and eye checks, which many of us aren’t up to date on.
It’s at this moment that I’ve realised I’m at least three years behind on both… you can and absolutely should judge me!
But holding off getting checked until we actually have a concern is a big part of the problem. A whopping 84% of Kiwis surveyed are not up to date or have never received skin checks, despite New Zealand having one of the highest rates of melanoma globally.
Apparently, 60% of Kiwi men are still behind on prostate checks, 44% of Kiwi women on cervical smears, 28% on breast cancer screenings and 37% of Kiwis when it comes to bowel cancer screenings.
So why are New Zealanders lagging so far behind?
Almost one in five of us are anxious about what a health check may reveal. Over a third of us aren’t sure which screenings we might even need, not to mention the cost it may involve. But it’s the fact of leaving getting checked until we actually have a concern that is one of the many reasons hindering us the most.
To get ahead of our checks, nib is setting up free general health checks at Blues home games at Eden Park and across Auckland.
Rob Hennin, nib Chief Executive says: "Health screenings are the key to catching potential illnesses early, which means you can get treatment, begin recovery and return to normal life faster."
“Health screenings are the key to catching potential illnesses early, which means you can get treatment, begin recovery, and return to normal life faster."
So, if you're a Kiwi rugby fan overdue for a health check, keep an eye out for pop-up clinics and get a check-up already!
