Healthcare is the third highest concern in Hong Kong, just after inflation & the economy and unemployment

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Close to three-fourths (74%) surveyed state that their ability to meet their own or their family’s medical needs is fair or poor.

According to a recent survey, the people of Hong Kong are generally concerned about maintaining their health amidst inflation and the rising costs of living.

Cigna Healthcare’s latest Staying Well amidst the Cost-of-Living Crisis - Hong Kong Insights Report 2023 has surveyed 1,100 people in Hong Kong in January 2023, revealing that healthcare is the third highest concern for Hongkongers, after financial-related worries such as inflation, the economy, and unemployment.

Three in four people in Hong Kong (75%) believe that it is becoming too expensive to stay healthy, with nearly half (43%) believing medical costs will rise in the next three months.

Apart from medical costs, 31% also anticipate costs of activities that promote better wellbeing to increase, including those related to exercise, diet or mental health.

The report shows people in Hong Kong have become less confident about their healthcare affordability due to financial concerns, with close to three-fourths (74%) stating that their ability to meet their own or their family’s medical needs is fair or poor.

Virtual care rises as an efficient alternative

Accessing healthcare has become another difficulty for Hong Kong people. Getting an appointment with a doctor quickly when sick is a challenge for more than a third of surveyed employees (37%), while approximately three in 10 (28%) find it difficult to get care at night and during weekends or holidays.

In terms of experience with medical care and affordability, 24% said they have faced problems in finding a practitioner that they trust, and approximately one in five people (23%) have struggled to pay for medical bills.

Under these challenges, virtual healthcare has emerged as an efficient alternative to physical care, with around six in 10 respondents (59%) indicating that they have used technology in healthcare over the past two years. The younger age groups (16-24-years-olds and 25–34-year-olds) tend to engage with technology more when it comes to healthcare than their older counterparts.

Overall, four in 10 people residing in Hong Kong believe physical and digital consultations performed equally well across several aspects, from ease of arranging (45%) to the emotional aspect of the consultations such as being listened to and understood (44%) and being given right level of attention and time (44%), or even follow up care (44%).

Starting from prevention

The report also found that people in Hong Kong are actively looking for other ways to improve their health and wellbeing. The methods include:

• engaged in exercise and working out (62%);
• have changed their diet (47%); and
• have tried meditation, yoga and other relaxation techniques (34%).

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