One in Five Adults Withholds Health Problems From Doctors; AI Chatbots May Unlock Disclosure

A new German survey published Thursday, based on research commissioned by BARMER and conducted by the Forsa Institute among 1,791 adults aged 18 and over from January to February 2026, found that 18% of German adults have withheld a health issue from a doctor at least once due to shame, embarrassment, or distrust. Among those aged 18 to 29, the figure rises to 28%, meaning more than one in four young adults stay quiet even though early disclosure can matter. The findings were published by Deutsches Ärzteblatt. BARMER CEO Christoph Straub said “false shame” can harm treatment success and noted doctors are legally bound by Germany’s medical confidentiality law.