Health and Healthcare http://www.gallup.com/ http://backend.userland.com/rss Gallup WebTeam Topping a list of 12 economic issues, Americans say they are the most worried about the rising unemployment rate and the increasing cost of healthcare, at 87% and 85%, respectively. http://www.gallup.com/video/121259/Unemployment-Tops-List-Americans-Economic-Concerns.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT At 82%, public confidence in the U.S. military is up 11 points from a year ago, and is the highest since the start of the Iraq war in 2003. Confidence in the presidency is up even more sharply -- reflecting public support for President Obama. Confidence in banks is down sharply. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121214/Americans-Confidence-Military-Banks-Down.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT A new Gallup Poll finds 73% of Americans confident in doctors’ recommendations for healthcare reform. That exceeds the 58% who are confident in President Barack Obama on the issue, and the 35% confident in health insurance companies. http://www.gallup.com/poll/120890/Healthcare-Americans-Trust-Physicians-Politicians.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT Just days after the World Health Organization declared the H1N1 flu a pandemic, new Gallup polling finds only 8% of Americans worried about personally getting the swine flu -- the lowest rate of worry about the illness since it became news in April. http://www.gallup.com/poll/120863/Despite-Pandemic-Swine-Flu-Worry-Dwindles.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:45:00 GMT The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index reveals that nearly half of Americans (49%) exercise for at least 30 minutes less than three days per week. Those who are exercising are reaping not only physical, but also emotional benefits. http://www.gallup.com/poll/118570/Nearly-Half-Exercise-Less-Three-Days-Week.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Tue, 26 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT Just 13% of U.S. adults are now worried about getting swine flu, down from a high of 25% at the end of April. Most of the latest drop is seen among women under 50, who nevertheless remain the most concerned of any age-by-gender group. http://www.gallup.com/poll/118561/Swine-Flu-Concern-Falls-New-Low.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Wed, 20 May 2009 15:15:00 GMT A recent Gallup Poll finds that up to 29% of Americans would consider traveling abroad for medical procedures such as heart bypass surgery, hip or knee replacement, plastic surgery, cancer diagnosis and treatment, or alternative medical care. http://www.gallup.com/poll/118423/Americans-Consider-Crossing-Borders-Medical-Care.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Mon, 18 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT As many as 29% of Americans say they would consider traveling abroad for certain medical procedures, and as many as 40% of Americans would consider this if they knew the quality was the same and the cost was cheaper. http://www.gallup.com/video/118426/Lower-Medical-Costs-Abroad-Appealing-Americans.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Mon, 18 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT Gallup Polls conducted in 23 sub-Saharan African countries reveal the increasing presence of mosquito nets and use of antimalarial drugs. However, there is little overall change in public opinion on the prevalence of malaria. http://www.gallup.com/poll/118411/Africa-Signs-Hope-Battle-Against-Malaria.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Fri, 15 May 2009 09:15:00 GMT Americans are as likely to say the media have exaggerated the dangers of swine flu (45%) as to say the news reports are about right (46%). Personal worry about getting swine flu is down to 17% from 25% a week ago, and only 20% think the virus is very or somewhat likely to affect their family. http://www.gallup.com/poll/118258/Americans-Split-Media-Coverage-Swine-Flu.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT New Gallup polling finds 19% of Americans saying they personally worried “yesterday” about getting swine flu, down slightly from 25% saying this late last week. The poll also shows no increase in the percentages of Americans taking precautionary steps to avoid getting the illness. http://www.gallup.com/poll/118156/Swine-Flu-Fear-Abates-Precautionary-Steps-Sparse.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Mon, 04 May 2009 14:45:00 GMT The number of Americans who worry about getting swine flu has edged up from 22% Tuesday to 25% Thursday, while 6% of Americans now report that they have decided not to shop or go to restaurants, and 5% of parents say they kept a child out of school, as a result of flu concerns. http://www.gallup.com/poll/118132/Swine-Flu-Worries-Slight-Impact-Behaviors.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Fri, 01 May 2009 13:00:00 GMT With increasing reports of swine flu across the globe, Gallup looks at the availability of quality healthcare in nations with confirmed cases of the virus. http://www.gallup.com/video/118123/Views-Healthcare-Nations-Affected-Swine-Flu.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:00:00 GMT With swine flu creating a public health emergency in Mexico, Gallup reveals that Mexicans over the past few years became more positive about access to healthcare services, especially among rural and low-income respondents. http://www.gallup.com/poll/118093/Swine-Flu-Mexicans-Accessible-Healthcare.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:00:00 GMT Although 22% of Americans report worrying about getting swine flu, only very small percentages say they have modified their behavior in terms of shopping, airline travel, use of mass transit, work, or sending children to school as a result of their concern. http://www.gallup.com/poll/118078/Worries-Swine-Flu-Not-Yet-Affecting-Behavior.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:45:00 GMT The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index reveals that a baseline of between about 1% and 4% of the adult population reports being sick with flu on any given day, including about 2.1% on an average day so far this April. Younger Americans are more likely than older Americans to report having the flu. http://www.gallup.com/poll/118045/Flu-Affects-Americans-Given-Day.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:30:00 GMT The 62-cent increase in federal cigarette taxes taking effect Wednesday is nearly three times as likely to affect low-income Americans as it is to affect high-income Americans. That’s because 34% of the lowest-income Americans smoke, compared with only 13% of those earning $90,000 or more per year. http://www.gallup.com/poll/117214/Cigarette-Tax-Affect-Low-Income-Americans.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:00:00 GMT Despite spending the highest per capita on health, Americans’ satisfaction with their personal health falls near the median among OECD countries. Among OECD members, Gallup finds no clear relationship between government health spending alone and health attitudes. http://www.gallup.com/poll/117205/Americans-Not-Feeling-Health-Benefits-High-Spending.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:00:00 GMT The Healthy Behavior Index, a sub-index of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, increased in January, but, at 61.2, remains lower than it was in January 2008. Younger, lowest-income, and single Americans are currently least likely to report healthy behaviors, while older Americans are the most likely. http://www.gallup.com/poll/114589/Health-Habits-Improving-Uphill-Climb-Remains.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:00:00 GMT Three in 10 Americans (29%) tell Gallup that they or someone in their family put off medical treatment in the past year because of the cost. While this is true for 61% of the uninsured, 29% of those with private insurance and 18% of those with Medicaid or Medicare coverage also report delaying treatment. http://www.gallup.com/poll/112945/Three-Households-Deferred-Medical-Care.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:30:00 GMT Most Americans (73%) believe the U.S. healthcare system has big problems and 54% think the government should ensure universal access. But at the same time, 83% rate the quality of medical care they personally receive as excellent or good and 67% say the same about their coverage. http://www.gallup.com/poll/112813/Americans-Rate-National-Personal-Healthcare-Differently.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT Americans do not give a clear-cut mandate on healthcare, with 49% preferring to maintain the current system, and 41% preferring a new government-run system. http://www.gallup.com/video/112816/Americans-Prefer-Maintaining-Current-Healthcare-System.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT A majority of Americans cite either access to healthcare (30%) or the cost of care (25%) as the most urgent health problem facing the country. This marks the sixth successive year that these two concerns have outweighed concerns about a specific medical disease or condition such as cancer, obesity, or AIDS. http://www.gallup.com/poll/112516/Healthcare-Access-Cost-Top-Health-Concerns.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:00:00 GMT Going by the self-reported weight status of U.S. adults, a new Gallup Poll finds men and women weighing more, on average, than they did earlier this decade, and a record-high 38% of women saying they are seriously trying to lose weight. http://www.gallup.com/poll/112426/Americans-Weight-Issues-Going-Away.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:00:00 GMT When asked which candidate would better handle each issue, Barack Obama wins by double digits on healthcare, the economy, and energy, while John McCain wins by double digits on terrorism and gun policy. http://www.gallup.com/video/111133/Issues-Clear-Strengths-Emerge.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Tue, 14 Oct 2008 04:00:00 GMT