Spotlight report: where do students aged 16+ go first for medical advice?
Download (PDF 888 KB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Shropshire wanted to understand where students would first seek out medical advice if they needed. During September 2024 they attended 5 scheduled welcome week opportunities at two six form colleges. They spoke to 1,271 students, around a quarter of enrolled students.
- 45% said they would ask family members first
- 23% said they would go directly to their GP
- 18% said they would check the internet / Google search
When Healthwatch asked some of the students who indicated that they would go to their ‘Family’ first for medical advice, many said that it was because they had parents and relatives who were medically trained or worked within a medical setting whereas others said it was because they trusted their parents’ opinion as they believed they had their best interests at heart. As most of the students were around 16 – 17 years of age, many of them would likely be still living with parents, carers and guardians although none of the students mentioned that they would seek advice here first because of this convenience.