According to a new study conducted by English-based hearing aid manufacturer Signia, one in five people over the age of 50 are keeping serious medical conditions a secret.
These health issues include hearing loss, heart disease, mental health and arthritis.
Not only are 20 per cent of participants keeping their conditions a secret, 10 per cent admitted to keeping their diagnose hidden from loved ones for over a year.
The main reason? Six out of ten respondents were concerned that their closest family and friends would worry too much while 29 per cent blamed embarrassment.
“As we get older it is natural for our health to become more fragile, and it’s a lucky few who make it into old age without acquiring something to worry about,” says Maarten Barmentlo from Signia.
“What’s important to remember is a problem shared is a problem halved, and sometimes carrying the worries of a health issue can do more harm than good.”
Meanwhile, two thirds of participants were happy to speak openly in the name of science.
The findings also revealed some other interesting statistics: 58 per cent were likely to confide in a partner, or their best friend. Thirty per cent had a close friend they could talk to while eleven per cent actually found their partner actually had a secret diagnosis.
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