In 2017, nearly four in ten people (38%) in the European Union went to see their generalist medical practitioner once or twice in the 12 months prior to the survey, this figure was 42% in Cyprus.
Moreover, 32.3% of Cypriots said they had never visited a GP for a period of at least a year while 16.5% had made 3-5 visits to a doctor.
In the EU, a quarter (25%) consulted their generalist practitioner 3 to 5 times, while nearly another quarter (24%) did not go to see a generalist practitioner. Some 14% reported that they saw their generalist practitioner 6 times or more. It was 8% for Cyprus.
At EU level, the frequency of consultations of general medical practitioners was higher for women than for men. This was also the case for visits to dentists or general surgeons.
Denmark had the largest share of persons who saw their generalist practitioner 6 times or more (49%) during the previous 12 months, while France had the highest percentage of people (34%) going to the doctor 3 to 5 times.
The share of persons consulting their doctor once or twice was largest in Slovakia (47%) and the share of persons who did not go to see the doctor was highest in Greece (61%).
Dentist
Some 45% of people in the EU did not consult a dentist in the 12 months prior to the survey, while 42% went once or twice to a dentist. Some 10% reported that they went to a dentist 3 to 5 times, and 3% 6 times or more.
Slovenia had the largest share of persons who went to the dentist 6 times or more (6%) during the previous 12 months, while Germany had the highest percentage of people (17%) going to the dentist 3 to 5 times. The share of persons who did not go to see the dentist was highest in Romania (82%).
In Cyprus 37.8% did not see a dentist while 45.4% went 1-2 times and 4.3% visited more than six times.
General surgeon
While 45% of people in the EU did not consult a general surgeon in the 12 months prior to the survey, 34% did once or twice. Some 14% reported that they went to see a general surgeon 3 to 5 times, and 7% 6 times or more.
Cyprus (45.4%) was above the EU average for visiting a surgeon 1-2 times while 11.5% made six ore more visits and 37.8% said they hadn’t gone to one.
Germany had the largest share of people who consulted a general surgeon 3 to 5 times (23%). The share of persons who saw a general surgeon once or twice was largest in Italy (48%) and the share of persons who did not go to see a general surgeon was highest in Romania (88%).
