Survey: 2/3 of Estonians believe occupational health services help prevent health problems and detect them early
A survey conducted by research firm Kantar Emor on Estonians' satisfaction with occupational health services shows that most Estonians (88%) consider regular mandatory health check-ups important, as they provide reassurance about their health and, for many (44%), substitute for regular check-ups elsewhere. At the same time, people feel there's still room to improve the quality of occupational health services.
Kantar Emor research expert Kaisa Esko said that Estonians want more continuity in resolving their health concerns. “The results show that 86% of people who’ve had an occupational health visit would like the service provider to follow up on any health concern identified during that visit — by referring the person for further tests, offering treatment recommendations, or providing other solutions,” she commented.
The research expert added that, since an earlier Kantar Emor survey on medical brands had shown that specialist care is difficult for people to access, healthcare should be delivered in a way that doesn’t add time-consuming extra visits or create friction when moving from one service provider to another.
Ulla Ilisson, Head of Business Clients at Meliva, the healthcare company that commissioned the survey, said the results confirm the conviction that occupational health plays a central role in health promotion, including in the early detection of disease. “Looking at the Estonian healthcare system and the challenges it faces, it’s clear we need to invest more than before in making the whole system more joined-up, so that the patient’s treatment pathway is seamless. Once a health concern is identified, the patient needs to get the right treatment straight away — including reaching the right specialist at the right time,” she said.
Estonians hold occupational health in high regard
Three-quarters of Estonians agree that occupational health services are valuable because they take the nature of the job into account, and two-thirds believe the service helps detect health problems early. More than two-fifths of people agreed that an occupational health visit substitutes for a regular health check-up for them — a view held more often by men (50%) than women (39%).
Around 88% of Estonians consider it important that employers are required to give employees the opportunity for regular health check-ups.
The survey also found that 26% of people have never had an occupational health visit (including 13% of salaried employees and 44% of the self-employed).
While people who have had an occupational health visit are largely very satisfied with the help provided (81%), 12% of respondents expressed some dissatisfaction with the service — citing the service provider’s attitude, accessibility of care, and the advice and guidance given.
Looking at occupational health services as a whole, Estonians would like the service to give them access to even more, such as specialist care, additional tests, and blood work.
The survey’s target group was permanent residents of Estonia aged 18 and older, and its findings can be generalised to the Estonian adult population. The survey was conducted in August this year.
Meliva is an Estonian healthcare company offering the market’s broadest range of private healthcare services, from specialist care to dental clinics and laboratories, mental health, and occupational health. Meliva is part of the Finnish healthcare company Mehiläinen, which has more than a century of experience.
The full survey results are available at: https://meliva.ee/tootervishoid
