Cancer Awareness in Hertfordshire, Luton and South Bedfordshire

Contacting the doctor3 Contacting the doctor3.1 Anticipated delays before contacting the doctorRespondents were presented with a range of symptoms and asked if they were tohave any of these symptoms how long it would be before they contacted their doctor tomake an appointment.Few respondents anticipated they would delay contacting their doctor beyond a weekto discuss any of the prompted symptoms, with the large majority stating that theywould contact their doctor within a two week period. Full details of the anticipateddelay in contacting the doctor are provided in the table overleaf.Figure 3: If you noticed (symptom) how soon would you contact your doctor to makean appointment to discuss it?(2 week summary - All responses)Within a week2 weeksUnexplained bleedingA symptom that you thoughtmight be a sign of cancerUnexplained lump or swellingDifficulty swallowingChange in the appearance of amoleUnexplained painChange in bowel or bladderhabitsSore that did not healPersistent cough orhoarsenessUnexplained weight loss96%94%91%91%91%89%88%87%81%77%3%3%5%7%5%7%6%8%10%10%0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%Unweighted base = 1251Unexplained bleeding, a lump or swelling, or a symptom that the respondent thoughtmay be a sign of cancer were associated with the least delay in presenting thesymptom to a doctor, with two thirds of respondents claiming that they would seek helpwithin 1-3 days. Unexplained weight loss would incur the greatest delay in approachinga GP (12% would wait more than a month) but reflect that this may be due to thenature of the symptom which could potentially take longer to notice. Grey shading hasbeen used to highlight where delays are the shortest (+60% or more would visit adoctor with 1-3 days of noticing the symptom).13