PhRMA: Americans more health-conscious, report higher costs
Washington — The second annual health survey by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America shows that Americans are more conscious of their health, and believe their own health is good. However, a majority of respondents report paying more for health care than in previous years.
According to the survey of about 1,200 adults conducted earlier this summer, two-thirds of respondents reported that they had a great or good year when it came to their personal health, which is slightly higher than the 61% who said the same thing last year. However, only about 20% of people said it had been a good year for the average American’s health, with 48% saying it had been OK.
“While Americans are optimistic about their own health and that of their families, they are significantly less positive about the health of the nation as a whole,” Hart Research Associates president Geoff Garin said. “These findings reveal a disconnect in perceptions of how Americans view themselves and that of the average American in the context of today’s rapidly evolving healthcare system.”
PhRMA points out that people also are paying more attention to their health, with 58% of people overall reporting they pay more attention to their health now than a few years ago. That number is highest among African Americans surveyed, with 68% reporting they’re more aware of their health now.
People also are turning more to sources outside the doctor’s office, with 78% reporting they look for outside information. Of these, 57%report that health and medical websites are the second-most used source of health information besides physicians. A quarter of them turn to pharmacists.
There are, however, a couple of less encouraging trends pointed out in the survey. One is that there is confusion about the health benefits of vaccines. Some 29% of those surveyed think the claim that vaccines cause autism in children has some degree of truth to it — 4% said it’s definitely true, while a quarter said that it’s probably true, despite it not being supported by scientific research.
When it comes to the cost of health care, 68% of African Americans, 60% of Hispanics and 57% of whites said they’re paying more for health care now than they were before. Among Hispanics, 35% reported the cost of going to a doctor as a very big obstacle to dong so, a sentiment shared by 25% of African Americans and 23% of whites.
“It’s crucial to keep the patient at the center of the health care dialogue in order to improve health outcomes in America,” PhRMA president and CEO John J. Castellani said.