Table 5 Respondents’ hesitation to visit Doctors (by monthly days of OTC use)
|  | Total (n = 8516)1 | 0 days (n = 3140) | 1–4 days (n = 4089) | 5–9 days (n = 640) | ≥ 10 days (n = 647) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ever hesitated to visit a doctor, n (%) | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Yes | 3159 (37.1) | 893 (28.4) | 1647 (40.3) | 309 (48.3) | 310 (47.9) |
 No | 4014 (47.1) | 1670 (53.2) | 1842 (45.0) | 246 (38.4) | 256 (39.6) |
 Don’t remember | 1343 (15.8) | 577 (18.4) | 600 (14.7) | 85 (13.3) | 81 (12.5) |
Reasons for hesitation, n (%) | Total (n = 3159)2 | 0 days (n = 893) | 1–4 days (n = 1647) | 5–9 days (n = 309) | ≥ 10 days (n = 310) |
 I could handle it myself with OTC headache medicine | 1103 (34.9) | 173 (19.4) | 647 (39.3)** | 145 (46.9)** | 138 (44.5)** |
 It felt more like a physical trait than a disease | 969 (30.7) | 238 (26.7) | 494 (30.0) | 128 (41.4)** | 109 (35.2)** |
 Everyone has headaches | 880 (27.9) | 226 (25.3) | 476 (28.9) | 88 (28.5) | 90 (29.0) |
 I couldn’t afford the cost of visits or treatments | 861 (27.3) | 231 (25.9) | 419 (25.4) | 96 (31.1)* | 115 (37.1)** |
 I thought it would be meaningless if it couldn’t be cured completely | 848 (26.8) | 224 (25.1) | 409 (24.8) | 98 (31.7)* | 117 (37.7)** |
 I thought I didn’t need to go to the hospital for just a headache | 838 (26.5) | 226 (25.3) | 430 (26.1) | 85 (27.5) | 97 (31.3)* |
 I didn’t know which medical institution or doctor to consult | 735 (23.3) | 210 (23.5) | 358 (21.7) | 82 (26.5) | 85 (27.4) |
 Even after consulting, I was only prescribed medication similar to OTC headache medicine | 726 (23.0) | 149 (16.7) | 390 (23.7)* | 91 (29.4)** | 96 (31.0)** |
 I thought the doctor would say it wasn’t a big deal | 715 (22.6) | 197 (22.1) | 368 (22.3) | 73 (23.6) | 77 (24.8) |
 I didn’t have time | 700 (22.2) | 163 (18.3) | 378 (23.0) | 72 (23.3)* | 87 (28.1)* |
 I thought my headache wasn’t a big deal | 656 (20.8) | 192 (21.5) | 342 (20.8) | 72 (23.3) | 50 (16.1) |
 I thought there wouldn’t be better treatments or remedies than what I was already using | 595 (18.8) | 148 (16.6) | 283 (17.2) | 70 (22.7)* | 94 (30.3)** |
 I thought the doctor wouldn’t understand the severity or anxiety of my headache | 535 (16.9) | 159 (17.8) | 216 (13.1) | 68 (22.0) | 92 (29.7)** |
 The symptoms occurred infrequently | 520 (16.5) | 165 (18.5) | 293 (17.8) | 36 (11.7) | 26 (8.4) |
 The symptoms were mild even when they occurred | 363 (11.5) | 97 (10.9) | 211 (12.8) | 32 (10.4) | 23 (7.4) |
 I was afraid of being diagnosed with a serious illness | 325 (10.3) | 74 (8.3) | 174 (10.6) | 39 (12.6) | 38 (12.3) |
 The impact of COVID-19 | 323 (10.2) | 71 (8.0) | 173 (10.5) | 38 (12.3) | 41 (13.2)* |
 I didn’t want to undergo tests | 276 (8.7) | 61 (6.8) | 138 (8.4) | 32 (10.4) | 45 (14.5)* |
 I didn’t want to be diagnosed with migraines or chronic headaches | 204 (6.5) | 43 (4.8) | 97 (5.9) | 33 (10.7)* | 31 (10.0)* |
 Other reasons | 119 (3.8) | 68 (7.6) | 39 (2.4) | 4 (1.3) | 8 (2.6) |