Medical appointments: More parents skipping important health checks

A soaring number of parents are missing vital health check-ups every year, which experts say could be putting them at risk of serious problems not being picked up early enough. Fresh data reveals there were 1548 medical appointment cancellations in December 2023 and January 2024. The figures released by WA Health Group, which provides a range of coordinated healthcare services, showed a 24 percent increase in cancellations compared with corresponding periods in December 2022 and January 2023. It highlighted how the months leading into the Christmas school holiday period are when the majority of parents cancel their health appointments. Managing director of WA Health Group Lennon Correia said it’s putting the wellbeing of thousands of men and women at risk. “This pattern of avoiding appointments underscores the need for greater support and awareness of parental, and maternal, health needs,” he said. “They need to value themselves. “While cancelling appointments is a part of life, the problem lies when those appointments are never rescheduled as the chaos and ‘busyness’ of everyday life takes over. “Parents … are managing household tasks with work and personal relationships, while coordinating appointments for the kids, and they tend to neglect their own health concerns and cancel their scheduled sessions.” Mr Correia finds parents tend to mention their own personal health problems in passing during their children’s appointments. He said partners could start taking proactive steps and book in appointments for the parent who is struggling to find the time to organise their health checks. A report in the peer-reviewed Journal of Health Psychology pointed out that through socialisation women in particular learn that being a ‘good mother’ means they feel compelled to prioritise the needs of others. “If women believe prioritising the needs of their children is what is morally correct, they are more likely to act accordingly,” the report states. “Engaging in health behaviours requires mothers take time away from being ‘mom’ (sic), which can lead to guilt and feelings of being a ‘bad mother’,” the report notes. Perth physiotherapist Ashlee Ryan said she finds that mums with younger children often cancel their appointments, especially those with kids up to the age of five. “They just get so busy and I get that, and they often just forget they have an appointment and also feel the need to prioritise their lives around their kids,” she added. “But we do have patients who have back and hip problems which are not being resolved and are potentially getting worse for them.” Oakford mother-of-two Rebecca Lorenzin, 49, had been suffering from lower back pain but suddenly had to cancel an appointment she had booked to address it when her 11-year-old son became unwell and needed to stay home. Struggling to find a free moment to reschedule the appointment, Ms Lorenzin’s pain eventually overwhelmed her and she wound up in hospital. “The minute your child is better, you need to prioritise re-booking any health appointments you have missed or else you risk your own health being harmed and being of no use to anyone anyway,” she said. “I was off my feet for days as a result of missing that appointment and had to ask my husband to work from home to look after the kids so in future, I’ll be making sure I take care of myself too.” Five reasons parents should not cancel their own health appointments: -Preventive care: Regular health appointments allow for early detection of potential health issues, enabling prompt intervention and prevention of more serious conditions. -Maintaining health: Consistent health appointments help parents stay on track with managing existing health conditions and maintaining overall wellbeing. -Role modelling: Prioritising health appointments sets a positive example for children, emphasising the importance of proactive health management and self-care. -Quality of life: Addressing health concerns promptly can improve quality of life, ensuring parents can continue to fulfil their roles effectively and enjoy time with their family. -Avoid complications: Neglecting health appointments can lead to worsening of conditions or complications, potentially resulting in more extensive treatments or disruptions to daily life. Source: WA Health Group