"Neglected" Health Checkup Results Highlighted: 43.8% Remain Untreated After Re-examination or Further Testing Recommendations, Citing "Unclear Seriousness" Over "Busyness"

Ubie Inc., headquartered in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, with co-representatives Yoshinori Abe and Kota Kubo, announced the 4th phase of its "Medical Access Reality Survey." This survey, part of the "Medical Lost Rescue Project" aimed at solving the societal issue of difficulty accessing appropriate medical care, targeted 2,000 men and women aged 20 and over nationwide.

Previous surveys (1st to 3rd phases) revealed that many people are "medically lost," facing various difficulties in taking appropriate medical actions, from collecting information about their physical condition to visiting doctors and communicating in the examination room.

This 4th phase focused on the process from health checkup result confirmation to seeking medical attention, which can be a starting point for being "medically lost."

The results showed that 43.8% of those who received a C-D rating (requiring re-examination, detailed examination, or treatment) did not visit a medical institution. Furthermore, among those who "checked the results but did not understand them," 45.8% cited "inability to assess the seriousness" as the reason for not seeking medical attention, indicating a correlation between the level of understanding of results and medical action. While 66.9% of those who accurately understood their results sought medical attention, only 26.7% of those who barely checked the results did so. This highlights that despite undergoing health checkups, the results are often "neglected," not leading to subsequent actions due to insufficient confirmation or understanding.

*"Medical Access Reality Survey 2025" 1st Phase: 70% of Japanese "Lost in Appropriate Medical Action," Reality of Being Swayed by Information Revealed
*"Medical Access Reality Survey 2025" 2nd Phase: After Gathering Medical Information Online, Approximately 80% Face Difficulties in Next Action, 40% "Stalled" Due to Information Overload Revealed
*"Medical Access Reality Survey 2026" 3rd Phase: 1 in 2 Experience Difficulty "Communicating Effectively" in Examination Room, Reality of Misunderstandings Caused by "Consideration for Doctors"

*Health checkup judgment categories: A = No abnormalities, B = Mild abnormalities/Observation, C = Requires re-examination/Lifestyle improvement, D = Requires detailed examination/Treatment

Key Survey Results

Approximately 67% of health checkup recipients have findings of B or higher (B-D ratings). Yet, about 46% "did nothing" after seeing the results.
Regardless of the rating, about 35% "checked but did not understand" the results, and 20% did not even check them. The biggest reason for "not understanding" is "not knowing the meaning of the numbers" (51.6%). Professional descriptions are a barrier to understanding.
43.8% of those with C-D ratings did not seek medical attention; there is a significant gap in consultation rates based on the "level of understanding" and "level of checking" of the results.
Even for the same "non-consultation," the reasons for "neglect" differ depending on the level of checking/understanding. A chain of "not knowing" creates a structure that distances people from seeking medical attention.
"Inability to assess seriousness" (26.7%) and "unclear urgency" (22.4%) were both among the top reasons for not seeking medical attention. Many also said, "I don't know which hospital to go to."

Survey Background

The 1st phase survey revealed that 70% of Japanese people are in a "medically lost" state, facing some form of difficulty at various stages related to medical care. The 2nd phase revealed that approximately 80% felt difficulty in their next action after collecting information online, with about 40% "stalling." The 3rd phase revealed the reality of "well-intentioned misunderstandings" between patients and doctors in the examination room, with 1 in 2 experiencing difficulty "communicating effectively."

However, the "medically lost" state does not only occur during illness. Annual health checkups are important opportunities to detect asymptomatic diseases early and connect people to appropriate medical action. Nevertheless, under the hypothesis that many cases exist where precious health checkup results do not lead to appropriate action due to reasons such as "not knowing how to interpret the results" or "not knowing how serious it is," the 4th phase focused on the process from health checkup result confirmation to seeking medical attention, investigating how "understanding health checkup results" affects medical action.

Detailed Analysis of Survey Results

*Some numerical values in this survey are based on multiple responses.

[About 67% have some findings, and even with C-D ratings, about 30% "did nothing." The reality of not leading to action regardless of the seriousness of the rating.]

Among those who underwent health checkups, only 32.4% had all A ratings (no abnormalities), and approximately 67% had findings of B or higher. Those with C-D ratings also accounted for 26.7%, or more than 1 in 4 people.

Despite this, regarding actions taken after checking health checkup results, approximately 46% answered "did nothing in particular" regardless of the rating. By rating, this was 65.9% for A ratings, but 41.9% for B ratings, and 29.7% even for C-D ratings, indicating that even when some findings, including mild abnormalities, are pointed out, the results do not lead to concrete action.

[Even after checking health checkup results, about 35% "cannot understand," and 20% do not even check them. The biggest reason for "not understanding" is "not knowing the meaning of the numbers." Specialized descriptions are a barrier to understanding.]

Regarding how much the health checkup results were checked and understood, only 44.6% answered that they "checked the numbers for each item and accurately understood everything," which is less than half. Approximately 35% answered "checked but did not understand everything," and about 20% did not even check the details.

Among those who answered "did not understand," "not knowing the meaning of the numbers" (51.6%) was the most common reason, followed by "medical terms are difficult" (42.2%) and "not knowing how abnormal it is compared to the reference values" (31.4%). This shows that the medical numbers and terms written in health checkup results are a significant "barrier to understanding" for the general public.

Also, the most common reason for not sufficiently checking the results was "because I have no subjective symptoms and think there's no problem" (37.9%), followed by "because I have no abnormalities most years" (29.8%), and "because it's troublesome" (23.4%). This suggests that a sense of security from having no subjective symptoms and satisfaction with the act of undergoing annual health checkups, rather than utilizing the results, contributes to the "neglect" of results.

[43.8% of C-D ratings did not seek medical attention, with a large gap in consultation rates depending on the "level of understanding" and "level of checking" of the results.]

Among the 368 people who received C-D ratings, only 56.3% visited a medical institution, and 43.8% (161 people) remained untreated after the rating.

Analyzing this medical action by the "level of understanding" and "level of checking" of health checkup results, it was found that the lower the level of understanding and checking, the lower the consultation rate. While 66.9% of those who accurately understood the results sought medical attention, only 38.1% of those who only checked the overall rating, and a mere 26.7% of those who barely checked, did so. This shows a significant disconnect between "undergoing" a health checkup and "utilizing" its results, with the "neglect" of results leading to a chain of non-consultation.

[Even for the same "non-consultation," the reasons for "neglect" differ depending on the level of checking/understanding—a chain of "not knowing" creates a structure that distances people from seeking medical attention.]

Among the 161 people who did not seek medical attention after receiving C-D ratings, the most common reason overall was "inability to assess how serious it is" (26.7%), with "unclear urgency" (22.4%) also ranking high, indicating that the inability to grasp the seriousness of the rating is a major factor. Furthermore, "I don't know which hospital to go to" (13.7%) was also a frequent response, suggesting that not only do people not understand the meaning of the rating, but a chain of "not knowing" where to seek medical attention distances them from consultation.

Analyzing these reasons for non-consultation by the level of checking and understanding of health checkup results reveals that even for the same "non-consultation," the underlying reasons differ significantly. Those who understood the results cited external/physical factors such as "because I have no subjective symptoms" (26.9%) and "because I'm busy" (23.1%). On the other hand, those who checked but did not understand highlighted barriers due to lack of understanding, such as "inability to assess seriousness" (45.8%) and "unclear urgency" (30.5%). For those who barely checked, "because it's troublesome" (54.5%) and "because it costs money" (45.5%) were prominent, while "because I'm busy" was 0%. While health checkups are originally for managing one's health by utilizing the results, without support to interpret the results and decide on the next course of action, the results remain "neglected."

Dr. Yufuki Hiramatsu, In-house Physician (General Internal Medicine), Ubie Inc.
Certified Specialist in General Internal Medicine by The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine / Member of The Japanese Primary Care Association / Designated Instructor of Hospital General Internal Medicine by The Japanese Society of Hospital General Medicine

Japan's health checkup rate is high by international standards, and securing broad access to checkups under the national health insurance system is a significant achievement. However, this survey shows that there is still a gap that has not been sufficiently filled between "undergoing" checkups and "utilizing" their results.

Particularly noteworthy is that 43.8% of those with C-D ratings did not seek medical attention. A rating requiring re-examination or detailed examination does not necessarily mean a confirmed disease at that point, but delaying consultation can delay disease discovery and limit treatment options. What could have been resolved with minor intervention if seen early can worsen over time. We frequently see such cases in clinical settings.

The fact that the biggest reason for non-consultation was "not knowing how serious it is" is also important. Even if values exceed the standard, many people self-interpret, thinking "it's probably common" or "it's not immediately life-threatening," and postpone seeking medical attention. However, health checkup results alone cannot determine what underlying diseases may be present. If the information remains in specialized notation, the importance of this information may not be sufficiently conveyed to the public.

A significant role in bridging this gap is played by the presence of a primary care physician. A primary care physician understands the patient's usual health condition and background, carefully explains the meaning of the health checkup results, and connects them to appropriate specialists as needed. A primary care physician is truly a "guide" to health. Many also responded, "I don't know which hospital to go to," so having a primary care physician can eliminate confusion about where to seek medical attention, which can be a step towards resolving the neglect of health checkup results. In addition, leveraging technology to deliver results in an easy-to-understand manner is expected to complement the dialogue between doctors and patients.

Yoshinori Abe, Co-Representative Director and Physician, Ubie Inc.

As a physician in practice, I have often seen patients who were advised of abnormalities in health checkups but did not seek medical attention until their symptoms progressed, without finding the right timing. What is particularly noteworthy in this survey result is that the background of non-consultation is not only external constraints like "too busy" but also significantly related to lack of understanding and psychological barriers like "not knowing how serious it is" and "troublesome." There are cases where factors hindering medical action differ from what was conventionally assumed, which is an important perspective when considering how to encourage medical attention.

Health checkup results, if correctly interpreted, are extremely useful sources of information. However, currently, specialized numbers and terms act as barriers to understanding, and precious results are "neglected." We will aim for a society where everyone can understand their results through the power of technology and take the first step towards appropriate medical care.

What is "Medically Lost"?

"Medically Lost" is a concept proposed by Ubie, referring to a state where people face some form of difficulty at various stages related to medical care, such as "symptom recognition," "information gathering," "consultation," "diagnosis," and "treatment," and are unable to take appropriate medical action.

Specifically, the following situations apply:

Symptom recognition: Ignoring discomfort / Ignoring health checkup results
Information gathering: Over-relying on unsubstantiated information / Unable to judge whether to consult a doctor
Consultation: Consulting the wrong department / Unable to effectively communicate symptoms
Diagnosis: Difficulty understanding the diagnosis / Not knowing how to deal with the illness
Treatment: Neglecting medication or regular checkups / Unable to effectively discuss anxieties about treatment

If these conditions persist, it leads to worsening symptoms, prolonged treatment periods, multiple medical institution visits, and increased mental anxiety, increasing individual health, financial, and time burdens. Such individual problems also have a direct impact on society as a whole. Delaying consultation leads to serious symptoms, and visiting multiple medical institutions due to confusion about which medical institution to consult increases the burden on the entire medical system and contributes to an increase in national medical expenses. In addition, individual health status is directly linked to labor productivity, so this is considered an important issue that society as a whole must address.

Medical Lost Rescue Project
https://ubie.life/medical-maigo

Survey Overview

Survey Name: Medical Access Reality Survey 4th Phase
Survey Date: March 10, 2026
Survey Method: Internet survey (Freeasy)
Survey Target: Men and women aged 20-99 nationwide
Valid Responses: 2,000 (1,000 men / 1,000 women)
Survey Conducted by: Ubie Inc.

[About Ubie Inc.]

Ubie Inc. is a health tech startup founded by doctors and engineers in May 2017, with the mission of "guiding people to appropriate medical care through technology." We develop and provide AI-powered services such as "Ubie," which guides people to appropriate medical care, and "Ubie Medical Navi," a service package for medical institutions that supports improving the quality of medical care. We are working to create a society where everyone can access medical care that suits them.
Location: Nihonbashi Life Science Building 4 5F, 3-8-4 Nihonbashi Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0023
Established: May 2017
Representatives: Yoshinori Abe, Co-Representative Director and Physician / Kota Kubo, Co-Representative Director
URL: https://ubie.life

[List of Services Provided by Ubie Inc.]

For Consumers: Medical AI Partner "Ubie" / Symptom Search Engine "Ubie"
Japan version: https://ubie.app/
US version: https://ubiehealth.com

For Medical Institutions: "Ubie Medical Navi"
https://intro.dr-ubie.com/

For Medical Institutions: "Ubie Generative AI"
https://intro.dr-ubie.com/hospitals/generativeai_lp

For Pharmaceutical Companies: "Ubie for Pharma"
https://ph-ubie.com/
Keywords: Ubie, Medical Lost, Medical Lost Rescue Project, Access Reality Survey, Survey, Health Tech, Medical, Health Checkup, Health Checkup Results