WILLEMSTAD – Women in Curaçao are more likely than men to visit their family doctor and are also absent from work due to illness more frequently and for longer periods, according to the first results of the Enkuesta Sosial 2025 published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
The nationwide social survey, conducted at the end of last year, found notable differences between men and women in healthcare use and sick leave patterns.
According to the survey, more than half of Curaçao's residents visited a general practitioner during the six months preceding the study. Among women, 55 percent reported visiting their family doctor during that period, compared with 45 percent of men.
The findings also show that men are less likely to seek medical care regularly. Nearly one-third of male respondents said they had not visited a general practitioner in more than a year.
Differences were also evident in the workplace.
Approximately 13 percent of employed respondents reported calling in sick at least once during the previous year. While women were more likely than men to report sick, they also tended to remain away from work for longer periods.
More than 40 percent of women who took sick leave were absent for more than one week. Among men, that figure was 35 percent.
Men, on the other hand, were more likely to report short-term illnesses lasting only a few days.
The CBS did not identify the specific medical conditions behind the differences, but the findings provide new insight into healthcare utilization and workplace absenteeism among Curaçao's population.
The health data form part of the first release of results from the Enkuesta Sosial 2025, a nationwide survey involving approximately 1,700 households. Additional findings on topics such as employment and housing are expected to be published at a later date.