The chairman of the Townsville-Mackay Medicare Local says he is concerned people are putting off a visit to the doctor because of costs.
Data collected by the Medicare Local over the past year shows one in 12 people in north Queensland are delaying a trip to the local GP because they are worried about the cost.
Chairman Dr Kevin Arlett says the figures are higher than expected.
“It’s not as bad as one in four who delay going to a dentist due to cost but it’s still a concern obviously that some people are making a decision based on finance rather than health,” he said.
Dr Arlett says it is difficult to know whether the Federal Government’s proposed GP co-payment will deter more people from seeking medical help.
He says the survey also highlights the need to tackle chronic diseases such as obesity.
Dr Arlett says he is concerned people in the region are dying from potentially treatable conditions.
He says the survey found two out of five deaths were from conditions that could have been treated.
“Some of things like deaths due to potentially treatable conditions was a bit of a worry,” he said.
He says the results of the survey were not all bad for the region, with figures showing people are continuing to live longer.