Over 250% Increase in Online Sexual Health Queries in India

The three main concerns that for which help was sought included gynaecology, dermatology and pediatrics.

(Photo: iStockphoto)

More and more Indians are becoming health-conscious and are using the digital space to address their healthcare concerns, according to a survey conducted by Practo, a health website. In 2017, Indians visited their doctors 2.7 times and this rose to 3.2 times in 2018.

The survey, which looks at how much people used online services to seek medical help, also revealed that Indians in urban areas are twice more likely to visit the doctor than those living in smaller towns or rural areas. The most common concerns were found to be linked to gynaecology, dermatology and pediatrics. The survey was conducted with over 13 crore patients in more than 50 cities in 2018 and how they used the digital space to address their medical concerns.

The three main concerns for which help was sought included gynaecology, dermatology and pediatrics.

Cases of asthma for paedtricians rose by 55 percent and the survey saw the rise in pollution levels as a reason behind it. Other lifestyle related health problems included obesity (52 percent rise in doctor appointments), diabetes and hormonal imbalance.

Here’s a closer look at some other facts and numbers provided by the report.

Sexual Health

Of all the health queries, 70 percent came from patients under the age of 30. It further stated that sexual health constitutes 31.6 percent of total online consults in India in 2018, and that Jaipur is the fastest growing metro city with a 525 percent rise since 2017.

Sexual health.(Infographics: Erum Gour/FIT)

Jaipur is closely followed by Lucknow and Ahmedabad. While men were most concerned about masturbation and erectile dysfunction, women’s queries were about periods, pregnancy and breast cancer.

The report also registered a growth of 268 percent in health consultations across the country, led by Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai.

Mental Health

The Practo report further suggests that there is a rise in the number of people seeking help for mental health issues outside the seven metro cities.

Mental health.(Infographics: Erum Gour/FIT)

It mentioned an unhealthy lifestyle, intense and demanding jobs and work-life imbalance as primary reasons behind the fall in mental health.

Metro Cities Versus Non-Metros

In metros, people visit doctors 4.2 times as opposed to in non-metros where on average a person sees a specialist twice a year. Bangalore is the city where people seek out health experts the most, followed by Pune, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. When it comes to non-metros, Indore tops the list, followed by Kanpur and Nagpur.

Growing awareness of health concerns.(Infographics: Erum Gour/FIT)

An average Indian sees a specialist twice a year and 2.6 times they consult them online (in metros it’s 2.7 times).