Pandemic raises Filipinos’ awareness to stay healthy

The coronavirus­ pandemic has heightened Filipinos’ consciousness to stay in shape, both physically and mentally, but 52 percent feel they were financially unprepared to pay for medical expenses arising from any sudden critical illness.

This was based on Manulife Philippines’ study “Understan­ding Filipino Sentiments Toward Health and Critical Illness,” which showed that financial worries have a greater impact on sentiment toward protecting themselves from critical illness, especially during the pandemic.

In case someone from the family fell ill, the research estimated that about 54 percent of medical expenses would have to be drawn from the people’s own pockets, while about 34 percent could be covered by state-run schemes and contributory health financing. Only 12 percent could be covered by existing private health plans.

Conducted between January to July 2020, the study surveyed more than 500 Filipinos across the country.

“These evolving times have opened our eyes to the importance of health and wellness, and importantly, made many Filipinos appreciate the value of insurance protection,” said Melissa Henson, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Manulife Philippines. “While Filipinos are universally aware of the importance of staying healthy, we saw that their behaviors are largely influenced by fears and worries, including concern for their family and feeling financially unprepared for illnesses. This study aims to shed light on how they can overcome those worries through financial and health protection.”

Based on the study, about 80 percent of Filipinos believed that the cost of treating critical illnesses was higher than what they could afford. As such, 52 percent deemed that they were not financially prepared in case of a sudden critical illness in the family.

While heart disease is the leading cause of death in the Philippines, cancer is the most prominent critical illness in the minds of Filipinos, especially those with higher income, at 57 percent. Heart attack, hypertension and diabetes are also on the top list, but they trail behind by a wide margin, all at 6 percent.

Cancer is also the disease Filipinos are most afraid of acquiring for either themselves or their loved ones. This fear is based on the perception that cancer requires the most expensive treatment among all critical illnesses.

Filipinos, in general, believed that they needed to keep themselves healthy to prevent illness. However, the study revealed that their actions did not always align with their health goals as many still admitted to engaging in unhealthy habits. While 63 percent of the respondents said that they prioritized staying healthy and avoiding illness, 41 percent were physically inactive, 29 percent were considered overweight, 10 percent were obese and 22 percent smoked tobacco. Filipinos also ranked fourth in the world on being sleep-deprived, clocking an average of 6.5 hours versus the recommended seven or more hours for adults.

The disconnect between what respondents believe they should be doing and their actual behavior is influenced by barriers that include lack of time, the cost of healthy meals and fitness activities, the influence of their social circles and environment, as well as the need to cope with stress.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, however, Filipino respondents have recognized the importance of prevention through different heath activities, with three out of the five forming habits they intend to keep in the next 18 months all related to health.