The Ipsos Global Health Service Monitor 2023, a comprehensive study spanning 31 countries and involving 23,274 adults, has provided intriguing insights into healthcare quality and access, with a focus on urban India. The findings reveal a range of perceptions and challenges in the healthcare sector.

Urban Indians demonstrated a positive outlook on healthcare quality, with 53 percent claiming to have access to good healthcare. This sentiment was also shared by 48 percent of global citizens who participated in the study.

Market-specific results highlighted those areas where citizens rated their healthcare facilities most positively included Singapore (71 percent), Switzerland (68 percent), and Malaysia (66 percent). Conversely, healthcare quality ratings were notably lower in Poland (14 percent), Hungary (15 percent), and Peru (16 percent).

Across the board, there was a consensus regarding the strain on healthcare systems. A significant 68 percent of urban Indians and 62 percent of global citizens agreed that their healthcare systems were overstretched. Markets facing more significant pressures included France (82 percent), Great Britain (81 percent), Hungary (79 percent), and Sweden (79 percent). In contrast, Japan (24 percent), South Korea (24 percent), and Poland (27 percent) were considered less burdened.

A remarkable 71 percent of Indian respondents believed in the equality of healthcare (the highest globally), while only 41 percent of global citizens shared this view about their nations. Malaysia (65 percent), Spain (64 percent), and Singapore (61 percent) were among the countries with high ratings for the equality of healthcare, while Hungary (14 percent), Poland (23 percent), and Chile (24 percent) had lower ratings.

India ranked at the top with 70 percent of respondents finding it easy to secure a doctor’s appointment in their local area (the highest globally). South Korea (64 percent), Malaysia (61 percent), South Africa (61 percent), and Singapore (60 percent) followed. In contrast, only 46 percent of global citizens found it easy to book doctor appointments, with France (32 percent), Peru (32 percent), Germany (33 percent), and Canada (33 percent) at the bottom of the list.

Trust in Healthcare

India also led in trust in healthcare, with 75 percent of urban Indians endorsing this view. Other top markets with high trust in their healthcare system included Singapore (69 percent), Spain (69 percent), and Malaysia (68 percent). Conversely, Hungary (15 percent), Peru (27 percent), and Poland (32 percent) had the least trust in healthcare, reported The Indian Express.

The study found that 77 percent of urban Indians and 59 percent of global citizens believed that vaccinating against serious infectious diseases should be compulsory.

Waiting time to get a doctor’s appointment was seen as a persistent problem across most markets, with at least 67 percent of global citizens agreeing. In India, 70 percent of respondents expressed their frustration with waiting times. Hungary (86 percent), Poland (81 percent), and Brazil (81 percent) had the most significant concerns about waiting times, while Switzerland (38 percent), South Korea (43 percent), and the United States (47 percent) had shorter wait times.

The cost of healthcare was a significant concern for both global citizens (61 percent) and urban Indians (74 percent), who believed that many people in their countries could not afford good healthcare.

Urban Indians expressed concerns about cancer (59 percent), heart disease (39 percent), diabetes (35 percent), COVID-19 (27 percent), alcohol abuse (26 percent), and smoking (20 percent).

Challenges in the healthcare sector in India included poor quality treatment (30 percent), the cost of accessing treatment (29 percent), low standards of cleanliness (27 percent), insufficient staff (26 percent), poor safety (21 percent), and a lack of choice (21 percent).

In summary, the Ipsos Global Health Service Monitor 2023 offers a comprehensive view of healthcare perceptions and challenges in urban India and across the globe. It underscores the need for improved access, trust, and cost-effectiveness in healthcare while emphasizing the importance of addressing waiting times and public health concerns.