Poll: more than 60% of Russians self-medicate using the Internet

Alexander Lyapunov, head of the underwriting and VMI methodology department at AlfaStrakhovanie, told RIA Novosti that turning to Internet resources or telemedicine can only be justified if a person is not experiencing symptoms for the first time and can recognize them on their own.

The results of a survey among Russians showed that many do not want to see doctors for four reasons. 53.5% do not have enough time to visit a doctor, and 27.7% do not trust doctors. 14.5% of respondents believe that it makes no sense to seek help with a slight indisposition, and another 4.2% are completely afraid of doctors.

Sociologists have found that if the patient's symptoms do not go away within a week, 46.6% of citizens call a doctor.

As it turned out, a third of the inhabitants of Russia, feeling that they are sick, still wait to the last and go to a medical facility only as a last resort.

The study showed that when choosing a medical institution, 33.7% prefer to get an appointment at a paid clinic, and only 27.8% seek help from public clinics.

The survey also revealed that 2.4% of Russians prefer non-traditional medicine.

More than 1,000 respondents from all federal districts of Russia with a population of over 100,000 people aged 18 and older took part in the joint study by AlfaStrakhovanie and Invitro, RIA Novosti notes.