The data: Logistical challenges are by far the top reason consumers skip health screenings or regular checkups. 2,000 US adults were surveyed in March.

Among people who put off recommended checkups and screenings:

• 43% cite planning and coordination issues, such as being too time-consuming, conflicting with work hours, or making it difficult to schedule appointments, childcare, or transportation. This includes about half of Gen Z and millennials versus just 29% of baby boomers.
• 27% said they don’t like or trust doctors or don’t want to feel embarrassed.
• 24% said they feel healthy.
• 16% cited health insurance issues.

Why it matters: Skipping routine checkups and screenings can allow treatable conditions, especially “silent” diseases like hypertension and some cancers, to go undetected. This also increases the risk of worse outcomes and costly, complex care like procedures and ER visits. About half of US adults who skipped out on going to the doctor acknowledged that their health deteriorated as a result, per a 2025 KFF survey.

Implications for healthcare providers and marketers: Worsening health insurance coverage has made affordable care increasingly difficult to access in the US, but this research shows that everyday logistical friction also keeps people from preventive care, with seemingly mundane barriers potentially carrying long-term consequences. Healthcare providers will want to turn routine care from something patients have to organize their lives around into something that fits within them.

Healthcare marketers should prioritize easier booking, extended or virtual hours, and transportation partnerships, particularly to reach busy adults such as millennials with young children. But access alone isn’t enough: Many consumers remain unaware that these options are available or are unsure when to use them, and others report gaps in awareness around when to begin screenings and how often to get them. Marketing should clarify which needs are appropriate for telehealth (e.g., follow-ups, medication management, behavioral health, and test-result discussions) and which require in-person care, while expanding promotions and education on the importance of screening protocols, even when symptoms aren’t present.

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