Dying of politeness: British don't like to bother the doctor

Almost 40% of Britons would put off going to their GP with cancer symptoms because they don’t want to bother the doctor, according to a new survey.

They would also delay making an appointment because they are too embarrassed, scared, worried about what their doctor might find or too busy.

Over 40% of women are most worried about wasting the doctor's time, as are 36% of men.

But fear of what the doctor might find is just as strong a reason for women delaying a visit.

The survey, by Cancer Research UK, is the first in the world to set a national standard method for measuring awareness of cancer symptoms and care. Over 2,000 people were interviewed face-to-face to obtain the results.

This article was published on Wed 7 October 2009