Can't go, won't go...

On average, how often do we take our ailments straight to the doctor? For the majority of us around the world, it's between one and three times a year.

However, more than a third of respondents in Russia, Serbia and Turkey reported zero doctor visits for their own health in the past year.

According to Anton Timergaliev, Head of Synovate Healthcare Russia:

"There are two factors driving this in Russia: first, the low quality of the Russian healthcare system, meaning that one must spend at least half a day visiting the physician; secondly, it is normally possible to buy some prescription drugs without a prescription. This could add, for example, antibiotics to the list of 'over the counter' remedies."

At the other end of the spectrum, health conscious (or ailing?) Germans visit the doctor more frequently in a year than anyone - for half the respondents, it was four or more times a year (with 17% popping in more than 10 times!). Economics may play a part, but we also can't forget the 'age pyramid'. Says Synovate Healthcare Germany's Manfred Eberlein:

"The population in Germany is very old compared to that of 'younger' markets such as Turkey, Malaysia and India - as we all know, there are far more health issues in later life. Also, Germany has a very good healthcare system with comprehensive insurance coverage, and doctors are actually incentivised to treat more patients."

Clearly cultural quirks play a role here, but there are broader economic factors also at work. Consumers in emerging markets are far more likely to face issues around funding and access to healthcare than those in more developed markets.

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