USA

Americans Keep Volunteering During Tough Economic Times

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Despite challenges brought on by the recession, Americans continued to offer their time to organizations -- with more than one-third saying they volunteered “in the past month” between September 2008 and July 2009. Volunteers experienced higher well-being than those who do not volunteer.

Gallup Economic Weekly: Spending Up Pre-Black Friday

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Although Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index last week was down slightly from the prior week and from October, consumer spending was up 11% for the week and is at its smallest year-to-year difference (down 7%) of 2009 from the same week a year ago -- providing some added hope for retailers this Black Friday.

Women Disagree With New Mammogram Advice

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A new USA Today/Gallup poll finds 76% of U.S. women aged 35 to 75 disagreeing with the more relaxed medical recommendations on mammograms that were announced by a government advisory panel last week, including 47% saying they “strongly disagree” with them.

Americans’ Personal Burden for Healthcare Costs Stable

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:30:00 GMT

More than 8 out of 10 Americans with private health insurance say they pay at least some of the cost themselves, and 72% of those say the amount they pay has gone up at least a little over the previous year. These percentages are relatively stable.

“Most Urgent U.S. Health Problem” Still Access to Healthcare

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Access to healthcare continues to lead the list of issues Americans name as the country’s “most urgent health problem,” now cited by 32%. At 18%, the cost of healthcare is also widely mentioned, but to a lesser degree than it was a year ago. Flu/H1N1 has zoomed to nearly tie costs, at 16%.

Americans See Access as Most Urgent Health Problem

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

One-third of Americans (32%) say access to healthcare is the most urgent health problem facing the country at this time, followed by cost of healthcare (18%) and the flu (16%).

Obama Job Approval Down to 49%

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Gallup Daily tracking from Nov. 17-19 shows President Barack Obama’s job approval slipping to 49% for the first time in his presidency. Among post-World War II presidents, only Gerald Ford, Bill Clinton, and Ronald Reagan dropped below the symbolic majority approval level faster than Obama did.

In U.S., More Would Like to Lose Weight Than Are Trying To

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Many more Americans are heavier than their ideal weight (62%) or say they would like to lose weight (55%) than are seriously trying to lose weight at this time (27%).

Lack of Money/Wages Top Family Financial Problem in U.S.

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:15:00 GMT

Reflecting an often-overlooked aspect of today’s job crisis, one in six Americans now mention lack of money or low wages as the most important financial problem facing their families today -- tying a five-year high for the question and more than name healthcare, unemployment, or any other financial issue.

Greater Optimism About U.S. Health System Coverage, Costs

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Substantially more Americans rate healthcare coverage in the country as excellent or good this year (38%) than did so a year ago (26%). Similarly, more Americans now say they are satisfied with the total cost of U.S. healthcare (26%) than said this a year ago (19%).

Views of U.S. Healthcare Edge Higher From '08 to '09

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In the midst of the debate over healthcare reform, Americans are about as likely to rank the quality of healthcare in the U.S. as excellent or good (58%) as they were last year (57%). At the same time, they are slightly more likely to rate U.S. health coverage as excellent or good (38%) than they were last year (26%).

Nonsmokers Top Smokers in Well-Being Across All Incomes

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Smoking is strongly related to well-being regardless of income, according to Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index data from 2008 and 2009. Compared with nonsmokers, smokers are less likely than non-smokers to be “thriving," report fewer positive emotions, and are more likely to report depression.

Costs, Gov't Involvement Top Healthcare Reform Concerns

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

If a new healthcare bill is passed into law, Americans would be most concerned about its costs, increased government involvement in healthcare, how a new law would affect their personal healthcare situations, and that a new bill would not do enough to expand healthcare access.

In U.S., Cost, Bureaucracy Top Healthcare Reform Concerns

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Americans who favor the healthcare legislation are most concerned about the cost, while those who oppose the legislation are most concerned about bureaucracy.

Engaging Students to Improve Community Well-Being

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Gallup Student Poll tracks the hope, engagement, and well-being of students across the United States. In this segment of Gallup's special series, "Next Steps: Transforming Americans' Health and Well-Being," Shane Lopez, Ph.D., the architect of the poll, discusses the importance of measuring student engagement and how it relates to community well-being.

Gallup Economic Weekly: Waiting for Holiday Cheer

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

There appears to be little holiday cheer on Main Street, according to Gallup’s key economic indicators, as consumer spending was down 23% last week from the same week last year. Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index and Job Creation Index remained essentially unchanged from the previous week.

Weekly Economic Insights: Spending Hardly Inspires

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Americans reported spending an average of $62 per day last week, down from $65 the week prior and $81 a year ago -- not yet signaling a boost for the holiday spending season.

Economy Picks Up Again as Most Important Problem in U.S.

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:45:00 GMT

After several months of decreased concern, Americans in November are more likely than last month to cite economic concerns as the most important problem facing the country. Now, 31% mention the economy in general and 20% mention unemployment as the top problem. Healthcare (22%) also figures prominently.

Christmas Spending Forecast Reverts to Record 2008 Lows

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Americans’ estimate of the total amount they will spend on Christmas gifts this year is now $638, essentially matching the record lows from November and December 2008. Fewer Americans say they will be spending less on gifts this year than said this a year ago, while most say they will spend the same amount.

U.S. Christmas Spending Forecast Down From October

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Americans in November say they plan to roughly spend $638 on Christmas gifts this year, down from the $740 they projected in October and nearly identical to the $639 they projected last December.

Congress' Approval Recovers Some; Independents Buck Trend

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:45:00 GMT

Americans express slightly greater approval of Congress this month after last month’s decline, but the current 26% rating is still down from this summer. While Democrats’ and Republicans’ approval is up from last month, the percentage of independents approving is the lowest it has been all year.

Fewer In U.S. See Health Coverage as Gov’t Responsibility

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

For the first time this decade, more Americans (50%) say providing healthcare for all is not the government’s responsibility than say it is (47%).

More in U.S. Say Health Coverage Is Not Gov’t. Responsibility

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

More Americans now believe it is not the government’s responsibility to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage (50%) than think it is (47%). This marks the first time this decade when a plurality has not favored the “government responsibility” viewpoint.

More Americans Rate Lives Well, but More Hurting at Work

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:00:00 GMT

The percentage of Americans that are “thriving” climbed above 53% in October, sending the Gallup-Healthways Life Evaluation Index to its highest level since tracking began in January 2008. At the same time, working Americans gave their most negative responses yet about their work environments.

Americans Split on Afghanistan Troop Increase vs. Decrease

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Forty-two percent of Americans believe President Barack Obama should increase U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan, either by the roughly 40,000 Gen. Stanley McChrystal recommended (35%) or by a smaller amount (7%). However, slightly more Americans, 44%, favor a reduction of U.S. troops in that country.