Many Americans Have Knowledge Gaps About Their Own Health: Survey

June 13, 2022 — Only a few third of the adults who responded to a latest WebMD survey mentioned that they know loads about their household’s well being historical past, whereas greater than 1 / 4 admitted to figuring out little or none of it.

Slightly extra respondents (37%) mentioned that they know a few of their household historical past than know loads (35%), whereas 18% know somewhat and 10% have no idea any of it, in line with the outcomes of a survey performed May 25 to 31 amongst 753 U.S. shoppers.

An absence of medical self-knowledge was proven when members have been requested in the event that they knew their very own blood kind: 39% mentioned that they don’t. Those aged 45 years and older have been considerably extra more likely to know than these below 45 (71% vs. 53%), and ladies have been extra seemingly than males (66% vs. 54%), though that distinction didn’t fairly attain statistical significance.

More than half (57%) of the survey respondents reported that they schedule and preserve common physician visits, though there was a serious hole between youthful adults, of whom solely 41% recurrently schedule such visits, and the 76% of older adults who see a health care provider recurrently.

None of the three well being indicators that may have been reported at such encounters prior to now 12 months obtained a majority response. Cholesterol ranges had been measured for 46% of members, adopted by 43% for physique mass index (BMI) and 11% for bone density ranges. There have been statistically vital gaps by age for ldl cholesterol (68% vs. 28%) and bone density (18% vs. 5%), with the group aged 45 and older within the majority in each circumstances.

About three-quarters of those that had their ldl cholesterol and bone density measured prior to now 12 months knew the outcomes, with BMI barely larger at 80%. No vital distinction was seen by age for any of the three.

It’s price noting that the respondent inhabitants skewed closely towards the older inhabitants – 74% have been aged 45 and older – and towards females, who represented 65% of the cohort.