Consumers Putting Off Medical Care & Risking Health

Consumer Reports National Research Center suggests that despite people saying the recession is over, consumers are acting as if it is not. And in the worst possible way - playing with their health. 

• The percentage of consumers who said they didn't fill prescriptions, took less medicine than a prescribed dose, or failed to undergo a medical test advised by their physician surged 9 percent from 2010 at 39 percent to 2011 at 48 percent.
   
• One in six American households and one in four with incomes less than $50,000 revealed they felt stress over how much they must spend on medical care.

Consumers reported the following:

• Putting off a doctor's visit (21 percent)
• Delaying a medical procedure (17 percent)
• Declining a medical test (14 percent)
• Not filling a prescription (16 percent)
• Taking an expired medication (13 percent)
• Skipping a scheduled dose without asking a doctor or pharmacist (12 percent)
• Splitting pills in half without consent of their doctor or pharmacist (8 percent)
• Sharing a prescription with someone else (4 percent)

If there is one thing you cannot sacrifice is your health. There are resources available to you. Talk to your physician and reach out to your local support network.