In recognition of Women’s Health Month, Zocdoc, the leading healthcare marketplace that makes it easy for patients to find and book in-person or virtual care across over 250 specialties and more than 18,000 insurance plans, today announces the findings of its 2024 Women’s Health Report. This includes the results of a new nationwide survey of over 1,000 U.S. women, as well as proprietary insights from Zocdoc booking data.
The Moms are not Alright
The survey finds that nearly a third (29%) of moms with young kids at home report that their mental health has worsened since becoming a parent.
What’s more, an overwhelming majority of moms with young kids at home (77%) rank their children’s health as more important to them than their own. This may explain why one-third (32% ) admit to delaying their own medical care to prioritize another family member’s, and nearly half (45%) say a parenting conflict is their #1 reason for having to reschedule their own healthcare appointments.
The Emotional Labor of Healthcare
The survey also underscores the weight of the often invisible task of managing and booking regular healthcare, revealing that 86% of women carry the bigger mental load when it comes to their household’s healthcare.
And according to Zocdoc’s 2023 What Patients Want Report, millennial females book the most healthcare appointments for others compared to any other demographic group, yet are also the most likely to cancel or reschedule their own healthcare appointments.
Seriously, Doc
Worryingly, nearly a quarter of women (22%) say they’ve had a doctor who didn’t take their health concerns seriously.
Fourteen percent report being told their symptoms weren’t serious or real, just to later learn that there was a severe health issue at play. Some were inaccurately told by their doctor that their symptoms were related to aging (10%) or menstruation (7%) to find out later that the health issue was unrelated.
Healthcare Hurdles
Perhaps this is why 18% of women cite lack of trust in their healthcare providers as a reason that they have avoided seeking care for a medical issue.
Over 1 in 4 (27%) cite healthcare cost concerns as a reason that they’ve avoided seeking care for a health issue in the past, and 23% percent cite fear of bad news.
The top barrier that women report overall in scheduling their doctors’ appointments is feeling anxious or nervous when they see the doctor (29%).
The full findings of the national survey and Zocdoc booking analysis follow:
Survey Results
Whose health is the most important to you, if anyone’s?
- Your own – 38.13%
- Your kids’ – 34.63%
- 77% of mothers with kids under 18 living at home selected this option
- Your spouse’s/partner’s – 13.72%
- 31% of women living with a partner selected this option
- 27% of married women selected this option
- Your parents’ – 6.91%
- No one’s health is most important to me – 4.47%
- Other – 2.14%
Which, if any, of the below is the most likely reason that you would cancel or reschedule your own healthcare appointment?
- Work conflict – 20.53%
- Parenting conflict/kids’ schedule – 14.69%
- 45% of mothers with kids under 18 living at home selected this option
- Social conflict – 5.16%
- Other personal conflict – 33.95%
- None of the above – 25.68%
Which, if any, of the below situations have ever happened to you? (Select all that apply)
- I delayed my own medical care to prioritize another family member’s – 22.37%
- 32% of mothers with kids under 18 selected this option
- A doctor didn’t take my health concerns seriously – 22.18%
- I avoided medical care because I couldn’t pay for it – 21.01%
- I was told my symptoms weren’t serious/real to later learn there was a severe health issue – 14.11%
- I couldn’t find helpful information online about a symptom or issue I was experiencing – 12.16%
- I couldn’t find the right provider for my specific medical need – 10.70%
- I was told that my symptoms were related to aging and non-worrisome to later learn the health issue was unrelated – 10.41%
- I was told that my symptoms were related to my menstruation cycle to later learn the health issue was unrelated – 7.30%
- None of the above – 36.38%
Which of the following, if any, are the highest priority to you personally? Select up to 3
- My family – 79.38%
- My health – 66.54%
- Only women without children were most likely to select this as a top priority
- My finances – 47.96%
- My friends – 18.97%
- My job – 12.65%
- My hobbies – 8.75%
- None of these – 1.65%
How do you believe your mental health has been impacted by becoming a parent, if at all? [Only asked of those who indicated having children]
- My mental health improved by becoming a parent – 23.76%
- My mental health worsened by becoming a parent – 20.17%
- 29% of mothers with kids under 18 living at home selected this option
- My mental health has not been impacted by becoming a parent – 35.64%
- Unsure – 17.68%
- Prefer not to say – 2.76%
If you`ve ever avoided seeking medical care for a health issue, what is the reason(s)? (Select all that apply)
- Belief an issue will resolve itself on its own in time – 30.84%
- Healthcare cost concerns – 27.14%
- Fear of bad news / a negative diagnosis – 22.96%
- Lack of trust in healthcare providers – 17.61%
- Difficulty in finding a doctor / scheduling a visit – 17.12%
- Embarrassment or shame – 14.01%
- Other – 2.63%
- I’ve never avoided seeking medical care for a health issue – 29.38%
What, if anything, are your most common barriers/pain points to scheduling a doctor’s appointment? (Select up to 3)
- Feel anxious or nervous when I visit the doctor – 28.99%
- Unable to get into the doctor I want quickly – 23.25%
- Don’t want to pay the costs associated with seeing the doctor – 21.11%
- Takes too much time out of my busy schedule – 13.81%
- Hate doing the paperwork that comes with every appointment – 13.62%
- Difficulty finding a doctor who is in-network with my insurance provider – 12.94%
- Difficulty finding/comparing doctors specific to my needs or preferences – 11.87%
- Poor healthcare experiences in the past – 11.38%
- Other – 3.02%
- N/A: I never find it difficult to book or attend an appointment – 28.89%
Who books the majority of your doctor appointments?
- Myself – 93.00%
- My spouse/partner – 2.04%
- My parent(s) – 1.56%
- Another family member – 1.26%
- N/A – 1.07%
- An assistant – 0.68%
- Other – 0.39%
Who carries the majority of the mental load with regard to healthcare appointments in your family, if anyone?
- Myself – 85.89%
- N/A – 5.16%
- My spouse/partner – 3.50%
- My parent(s) – 2.82%
- Another family member – 1.75%
- An assistant- 0.49%
- Other – 0.39%
Survey Methodology
Zocdoc commissioned Censuswide to collect this data via an online survey of 1,028 U.S. women aged 18+. The survey was fielded April 25 – April 27, 2024. The confidence interval is approximately +/-3.06%.
Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.
About Zocdoc
Zocdoc is the leading healthcare marketplace that aims to help every patient find and book every type of care. Each month, millions of patients visit Zocdoc.com or use the Zocdoc app to find quality, in-network doctors, see their real-time availability, and instantly book appointments for in-person or virtual care. Zocdoc doesn’t just make healthcare easier, it also accelerates patients’ access to care with the typical appointment happening within 24 to 72 hours of booking.
While Zocdoc’s mission is to give power to the patient, the company supports healthcare providers, too. Doctors across each state, specialty and segment — from solo practitioners to large hospitals and health systems — rely on Zocdoc to grow their practice, at every stage. With Zocdoc, they can reach new patients where they’re seeking care, save staff time with tools that integrate into their practice software, and delight their patients through great experiences that keep them coming back. Overall, Zocdoc delivers the seamless, modern healthcare experience patients deserve.