TeleVox, a provider of patient engagement communications (EC), recently released its latest Healthy World Report entitled "A Prevention Problem: Uninsured Americans Forgo Steps to Ensure Healthy Future."
The study found that nearly 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. do not have health insurance, and only 33 percent of uninsured Americans have visited a primary care physician in the last two years. Furthermore, less than 1 in 5 uninsured adults consider themselves to be extremely healthy, and almost half of the uninsured adults surveyed admitted they are currently treating a disease or illness—such as hypertension, a heart problem, or diabetes—that could have been avoided or reduced in severity with the proper preventive measures.
Finally, the report examined how the uninsured, unemployed, parents, and younger generations are forgoing preventive care, increasing their risk for developing preventable diseases and illnesses.
No Insurance Equals Less Self Care: Those with health insurance exercise more routinely and are more likely to have improved their eating habits over the past two years than those without insurance.
Unhealthy and Unemployed: Forty percent of those without work said that cost is the main reason they don't seek preventive care, and only 26 percent of the unemployed give themselves an A grade for their efforts to ensure preventive care for themselves.
Prevention for Parents: Eighteen percent of parents said they still aren't sure what preventive care includes, and 34 percent are currently visiting a healthcare professional to treat an existing condition or disease.
Early Prevention and a Healthy Future: Only 19 percent of young adults in the U.S. consider themselves extremely healthy, and 29 percent are visiting a healthcare professional to treat an existing condition.
You can download the full release here, and download the complete study here.
