Australians encouraged to prioritise their health checks
Doctor taking pulse
Data from comprehensive health checks conducted on more than 500 executives, since the beginning of COVID, discovered potentially serious undiagnosed health issues.
The results of tests - of which 72% of participants were men with an average age of 45 - found a range of underlying health conditions including high blood pressure, abnormal ECGs, high cholesterol levels, undiagnosed diabetes, mental health issues and suspected skin cancers that may have gone undetected without a check-up.
81% had high LDL cholesterol and 21% had high triglyceride levels, putting them at higher risk of heart disease.
71% had a BMI above the normal range, a risk factor for serious diseases.
63% of executives didn’t meet the recommendations for physical activity.
60% had a waist circumference above the recommended range.
Medibank Chief Medical Officer Dr Linda Swan said the results of the health checks should serve as a warning to all Australians to prioritise their health and wellbeing.
“It’s more important now than ever before that we make the time to book in for our regular health checks after some people delayed or missed them due to COVID lockdowns.”
Medibank partners with Executive Health Solutions to conduct executive health checks for companies nationwide.
“There are also daily steps we can take to improve our health through exercise and eating a healthy diet, which is something our Live Better Rewards program is helping our customers keep on track with," Dr Swan said.
“57% of executives were not eating their recommended 5 serves of vegetables per day and 52% were not eating at least 2 services of fruit per day.
“It’s also vital that we all monitor our mental health and seek support if we need it after a challenging two years. The health checks saw 10 people referred to a GP or psychologist for follow-up after being found to have depression and anxiety.”
Medibank is making it easier to access mental health support through:
Better Minds website and app - which provides wellbeing checks, self-help skills as well as information and resources connecting those seeking help to support services.
Access to telehealth psychology and counselling services through eligible extras cover.
24/7 Mental Health Phone Support line with customers with hospital cover.
Trialling new approaches to acute mental healthcare in Victoria and Queensland.
Medibank partners with 125 companies nationwide on the delivery of a range of programs to improve the health and wellbeing of their workforces.
