60% of Indians live in fear of cancer: GOQii report

New Delhi: A new report from preventive healthcare company GOQii reveals that over 60% of Indians live in moderate to extreme fear of cancer. The 2024 GOQii Cancer Report, titled “Living in Fear: The Hidden Epidemic of Cancer Anxiety Among the Public,” sheds light on the pervasive anxiety felt by millions, fueled by financial concerns and insufficient cancer screening.

Based on a survey of over 1,250 people and insights from GOQii’s Smart Health Ecosystem app users, the report highlights alarming gaps in cancer care. Despite growing awareness, 70% of respondents said they had not undergone any cancer screening in the past five years, revealing a critical need for better proactive health measures.

Fear of cancer extends beyond the disease itself, with 33% of respondents expressing anxiety over the potential financial burden of treatment, which includes costs for diagnostics, surgery, chemotherapy, and long-term medication. This financial fear drives widespread chronic stress and anxiety across the country.

“People are living in constant fear of not only the disease but also the potential financial and emotional toll,” said Vishal Gondal, Founder & CEO of GOQii. “This report is a wake-up call. We need to shift our focus to prevention, early detection, and providing people with the right tools and resources to manage both their health and their anxiety.”

The report also reveals that 24% of respondents view cancer as a death sentence, highlighting the late detection and inadequate screening often associated with the disease. This perception contributes to the widespread fear of cancer as incurable and terminal.

Environmental concerns further contribute to cancer anxiety. Over 56% of respondents worry about pollution, radiation, and other carcinogens, while 27.6% fear cancer due to lifestyle choices like smoking and unhealthy diets. Yet, many still avoid preventive steps such as regular screenings and lifestyle changes that could lower their cancer risk.

Dr. Anurag Agrawal, Head of the Koita Center for Digital Health at Ashoka University, emphasized the link between modern lifestyles and rising cancer risks: “As longevity increases, particularly when accompanied by unhealthy living, the risk of cancer, unfortunately, rises as well. It has become imperative that we focus on promoting preventive measures and fostering healthy habits to address this growing concern.”

The report also calls for integrating mental health support into cancer care programs, as chronic stress, anxiety, and depression are common among those living under the threat of cancer. Providing psychological counseling and stress management resources is essential to alleviate this mental burden.

Luke Coutinho, a Holistic Lifestyle Coach, emphasized, “Cancer comes with the weight of fear, but knowledge, science, lifestyle medicine and epigenetics integrated with honest allopathic medicine, early screening and detection can change all of that. Now is the time to awaken and make the change with faith, belief, action and science.”

Rajashree Menon, CBO Digital Health GOQii, commented, “The GOQii Health Ecosystem supports cancer patients by integrating preventive care with treatment, screening, and post-treatment rehabilitation.”

GOQii is also a partner in the Universal Health Token (UHT) initiative, which promotes healthy living through rewards for preventive care and regular screenings, helping reduce cancer anxiety.

The 2024 GOQii Cancer Report calls for urgent action to address the fear of cancer gripping millions of Indians. By improving access to preventive care, promoting early detection, and integrating mental health support, India can begin to tackle the unseen epidemic of cancer anxiety silently affecting the nation’s well-being.