New Poll Reveals Americans Concerns About Living with Chronic
Conditions ...
Groundbreaking Partnership Launched to Explore Solutions
WASHINGTON, DC (February 26, 2001) -- An overwhelming majority of Americans worry that the 125 million people living with chronic conditions in the United States are often not getting the care they need and are calling on Washington to take action, according to a Harris Interactive survey released today at the launch of Partnership for Solutions. The Partnership is an initiative to raise awareness of the challenges faced by children and adults with chronic conditions and help policymakers identify possible solutions.
The Harris Interactive survey of 1,663 adult Americans reveals real
concern among Americans about the quality of care people with chronic
conditions are receiving: 72% of
Americans say it is difficult for people living with chronic conditions to get
necessary care from their health care providers 74%
say it's difficult to obtain prescription drug medications 89%
say it's difficult to find adequate health insurance 78%
say it's difficult to get help from their own family "People
with chronic conditions rely most heavily on the health care system/they see
the most doctors, fill the most prescriptions and need the most care, yet we're
not meeting their needs," said Gerard Anderson, Ph.D., director of
Partnership for Solutions. "This is a wake-up call for America. People
with chronic conditions need help."
Chronic conditions affect people of all ages and range from paralysis,
Alzheimer's disease, mental disorders and HIV/AIDS to allergies, asthma,
diabetes and high blood pressure. Many with chronic conditions require care
from multiple physicians, take a variety of medications and need the assistance
of professional or family caregivers.
Two-thirds of Americans who do not have a chronic condition also believe
that they are likely to develop a chronic condition/and many worry that when
the time comes, they will be unable to afford needed medical care, will lose
their independence and will become a burden to their families.
In addition, the survey also revealed that people with chronic conditions and their caregivers face constant challenges in receiving care. Based on the number of adult Americans with chronic conditions and the results of the Harris Interactive survey, the Partnership found that: Ten percent of those surveyed report that in the last year they were not able to see a primary care physician when they felt it was necessary. Based on the nationally representative sample, this percentage represents an estimated 10 million Americans. Eleven percent of those surveyed (which translates on the national level to an estimated 11 million Americans) report that in the past year they were not able to see a specialist physician.
Twenty-two percent of those who have insurance report that it does not cover all the types of care they need. This percentage represents an estimated 21 million Americans with chronic conditions. Forty-five percent of those surveyed (which translates to an estimated 47 million people) feel that the costs of their care are a financial burden. Fourteen percent of those surveyed report that different doctors diagnosed them with varied medical problems for the same set of symptoms in the past year. This percentage represents an estimated 14 million Americans with chronic conditions. Seventeen percent of those surveyed (which translates to an estimated 17 million people) say they have received contradictory information from health professionals. Sixteen percent surveyed (which translates to an estimated 16 million people) have been warned by a pharmacist about a possibly harmful interaction between medications they were prescribed by one or more physicians.
The survey also found, on average, that family caregivers provide care
for their loved one for 4.5 years, with the unpaid help of four friends or
family members. "I spend an
extraordinary amount of time dealing with obstacles in the health care system,
when I could and should be spending more time with my daughter," said
Crystal Jackson of Leesburg, Virginia whose daughter Devin has diabetes.
By 2020, the number of people living with chronic conditions is expected
to rise to 157 million and direct medical costs are expected to double to more
than $1 trillion (80 percent of the nation's health care spending). The
overwhelming majority of Americans surveyed want Congress to find
solutions: 92% are in favor of
government funded long-term care insurance 85% support a tax break for
people who purchase private long-term care insurance 92%
support a tax break for caregivers 94% favor adding a
prescription drug benefit to the Medicare program
To address the problems faced by people with chronic conditions and
their caregivers/and to help policymakers explore potential solutions/the
Partnership for Solutions is bringing together leading organizations
representing children, the elderly, various disease-specific organizations and
health care professionals with the goal of improving the day-to-day lives of
people with chronic conditions. The Partnership is led by Johns Hopkins
University and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "Americans grappling with Alzheimer's disease, cancer, or
depression and their loved ones have many problems in common. These challenges
include high costs, inadequate insurance coverage/including difficulty getting
reimbursed/and an often confusing health care system that makes it difficult to
obtain thoughtful and coordinated care. By addressing these and other problems,
millions of Americans with chronic conditions and their loved ones will
benefit," said Lewis G. Sandy, MD, executive vice president, of The Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation. "While the Partnership for Solutions does not
endorse a specific approach to improving the delivery and financing of care for
people with chronic health conditions, it is committed to fostering a national
discussion about a wide array of private and public solutions."
Partnership for Solutions will focus on improving care and enhancing the
quality of life for people with chronic conditions. The Partnership will
explore how businesses are improving care for their chronically ill employees
and dependents. It will also focus on improving both private health insurance
coverage and government funded programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. The
Partnership plans to release research findings on a wide array of topics,
including the health benefits packages offered by the Fortune 100 companies,
the attitudes of physicians who care for those with chronic conditions, the
cost and prevalence of chronic conditions, and out-of-pocket expenditures
related to chronic conditions.
Joining Johns Hopkins University and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
in the effort are a consortium of partners: Alzheimer's Association, American
Academy of Pediatrics, American Diabetes Association, American Geriatrics
Society, Family Voices, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, and the
National Chronic Care Consortium.
"We plan to work with these partners to ensure that we improve the
quality of care and life for the growing number of American with chronic
conditions," said Anderson. For
more information log onto www.partnership for
solutions <http://www.partnershipforsolutions> Survey
Methodology Chronic Illness and Caregiving was conducted by Harris Interactive
Inc. on behalf of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Johns Hopkins University,
and Partnership for Solutions.
The survey was conducted from March 17, 2000 through November 22, 2000
with a total of 1,663 adults 18 years of age and older. This study included a
national cross-section of 1,490 adults, with an additional oversample of
persons with a chronic illness and adults who provide informal caregiving
services, for a total of 663 chronically ill and 320 caregivers. The survey was
conducted from the centralized telephone research centers of Harris Interactive
Inc. in Youngstown, Ohio and Binghamton, New York. The survey data were weighted to reflect the demographic
composition of the U.S. population to the following variables: age, education,
race/ethnicity, insurance status, household size, and number of telephone lines
in a household, using the March 1999 Current Population Survey from the U.S.
Census Bureau. Additionally, the data were weighted to adjust for the
oversample of the chronically ill and caregivers.
About Harris Interactive Harris Interactive (Nasdaq: HPOL), the global leader in online market research, uses Internet-based and traditional methodologies to provide its clients with information about the views, experiences, behaviors and attitudes of people worldwide. Known for its Harris Poll, Harris Interactive has 45 years of experience in providing its clients with market research and polling services including custom, multi-client and service bureau research, as well as customer relationship management services. Through its U.S. and Global Network offices, Harris Interactive conducts research around the world, in multiple, localized languages. Harris Interactive uses its proprietary technology to survey its database of more than 7 million online panelists. For more information about Harris Interactive, please visit our website at www.harrisinteractive.com. <http://www.harrisinteractive.com>EOE M/F/D/V Contacts Jessica Willocks 202-745-5102