SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 30 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –
Self-care has established itself as a lifestyle for nine out of ten canaries, although there is a tie between those who say they are satisfied with their self-care routine (45.1%) and those who believe they could improve their routine by including more self-care practices. care and improvement of their well-being (45.1%).
This is clear from the VI Barometer on Self-care of the Spanish population, a Pic Solution study that addresses the evolution in self-care and how it is integrated into the daily life of Spaniards.
According to this study, among the most important and consolidated activities in the day to day of the canaries are maintaining adequate hygiene (80.5%), eating and hydrating adequately (74.4%) and caring for and ensuring their personal rest (67 ,1%).
They are closely followed by practices such as exercising regularly and personal care and beauty, carried out by 6 out of 10 canaries. However, at the end of the list is mental health care, since only a third of those surveyed state that they take care of their mental and emotional well-being (31.7%) on a day-to-day basis.
CONTROL OF HEALTH PARAMETERS AND MEDICAL CHECK-UPS
The pandemic has been key to raising awareness among a large part of the public about the importance of taking care of our health and applying self-care. More than half of the Canaries (64.6%) state that, at any sign of illness or negative symptom, they usually adopt self-care measures.
However, the latest Pic Solution Barometer makes clear the need to promote health control in a more constant way, as part of the daily self-care routine. Just over half of the canaries surveyed control parameters such as blood pressure or sugar on a regular basis. It should be noted that, compared to the national panorama, with those who claim to have more exhaustive control of their blood pressure (37.1%), especially those over 65 years of age, a figure well above the average for Spaniards (26.5% ).
Four out of ten canaries say they routinely measure their blood pressure at home, while the minority check it sporadically, such as during a visit to the pharmacy, the doctor or during a medical examination. However, it should be noted that, despite a greater awareness of blood pressure checks, less than half of the canaries surveyed (40.2%) undergo periodic medical check-ups.
A challenge that already seems to have been noted on the list of purposes for this 2023, since the canaries have increased the acquisition of self-monitoring products at home such as blood pressure monitors (+3.6% of canaries already have this device at home compared to at the end of 2021). Other self-care products that have increased in Canarian medicine cabinets in the last year are aerosols and inhalers (+3%).
To continue expanding their self-care products, 9 out of 10 canaries go to the pharmacy and they do so, on average, once a month. The pharmacy is, in fact, the point of purchase par excellence for essential care products such as thermometers (82.1%), dressings (57.4%) and blood pressure monitors (47.8%)
SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON SELF-CARE
According to the latest results of the Barometer on Self-Care of the Spanish PIC population, the use of the Internet for consultation on self-care topics has increased in the last year. Already 94% of Canaries consult the Internet to find information on self-care; which is 9% more than in 2021; and up to almost 7 out of 10 do it before going to the doctor to try to find out a possible diagnosis.
Despite the penetration and widespread use of the Internet, the family doctor continues to be, par excellence, the priority option for Canaries when consulting about self-care (51%). However, Generation Z disagrees and gives that power to social networks and content platforms.
The proliferation of educational and didactic content on health and self-care, as well as the growth of professional profiles, have made networks and platforms the first source of information for young Canarians between 18 and 25 years of age; and the third most consulted source at a general level.
