Americans are growing older, fatter, and more depressed, but we’re also choosing good health behaviors, such as eating fruits and vegetables, getting flu shots and cancer screenings, and wearing seatbelts, according to a new national health report card.
The bi-annual 2009 PRC National Health Report - 1995-2008 Detailed Findings surveyed 1,000 American adults from across the nation on health issues based on the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and other public health surveys.
As expected, the clearest and most alarming trend is the growing number of Americans who are overweight or obese. Currently, 67.4% of adults nationwide are overweight (with a body mass index of 25 or higher). In 1995, it was 50%. The prevalence of obese Americans (29% of Americans have a BMI value of 30 or higher) has nearly doubled since it was first measured in 1995 (14.7%). At-risk groups include lower-income adults, African-Americans, and adults aged 40 to 64.
A big contributor to the obesity crisis is sedentary lifestyles. In 2008, nearly 29% of Americans reported no leisure-time physical activities in the month before the interview, the highest proportion recorded since this survey question was first asked in 1995.
The study also found that the percentage of Americans who are limited in activities because of a physical, mental, or emotional problem has increased from 14.5% in 2001 to 21.8% in 2008. Limitations are most often attributed to musculoskeletal issues.
More than 24% of Americans currently suffer from arthritis or rheumatism (more than 50% among seniors aged 65 and older). More than 22% suffer from sciatica or chronic back pain, something that has trended upward considerably over the past several years (14.3% in 1995). Nearly 8% require the use of special equipment, such as a wheelchair, cane, special bed, or special telephone (including 26% of those reporting an activity limitation).
While age is a key factor, the report also noted that more than 44% of Americans living below the federal poverty level have health-related activity limitations.
The report also found that Americans are facing higher barriers to accessing healthcare services. In 2008, 42.4% of all adults reported difficulty or delay in receiving healthcare, up from the 36% five years earlier. Groups most adversely impacted included the poor, African-Americans, Hispanics, young adults, and women.
The biggest barriers were:
- The cost of prescriptions
- The cost of doctor visits
- Difficulty getting appointments
- Inconvenient office hours
All of these are growing trends. For example, nearly 20% of adults say they went without a needed prescription within the last year because they couldn’t afford it, more than twice the percentage (9.5%) first reported in 1999.
The survey also found that one in 10 American adults used a hospital emergency room more than once in the past year, another sign that emergency rooms are being used for primary healthcare needs. This proportion has increased significantly from the 5.6% first recorded in 1999, and runs concurrent with the growing numbers of uninsured Americans, and access difficulties for primary care. Nearly 18% of American adults report that they do not have a regular physician and they rely on a hospital emergency room for most of their medical care.
The survey also found that:
- Fruit and vegetable consumption is improving as 43.5% of adults report eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. This is a considerable increase from the 31.4% first recorded in 2001.
- Roughly 30% of American adults have experienced symptoms of chronic depression, stating that they have had two or more years in their lives when they felt sad or depressed on most days. This proportion is at its highest since this indicator was first tested in 1995. Chronic depression appears to impact a majority of Americans who live below the federal poverty level; women, blacks, and Hispanics are also more likely to report symptoms of chronic depression.
- More than 35% of Americans have been told that their blood pressure was high, and this proportion has trended upward over the past decade (findings were around 25%-26% prior to 2003).
- Diabetes now affects 11% of adults–the highest prevalence recorded since first measured in 1995. Nearly 10% of Americans report suffering from chronic lung disease, including bronchitis or emphysema. This prevalence is the highest recorded since this question was first asked in 1995.
- A growing percentage of seniors age 65 and older are receiving annual influenza vaccinations. In 2008, 73.2% of seniors were vaccinated.
- Colorectal cancer screenings have increased significantly over the past decade, and nearly 65% of Americans aged 50 and older are screened at some point in their lives.
- Nearly 18% of Americans aged 18 to 64 years don’t have health insurance, either through private insurance or through the government. Uninsured rates increased considerably between 1997 and 2005. Not surprisingly, people without coverage are much less likely to receive routine medical care, such as checkups, and age- and gender-appropriate cancer screenings.
- Since the late 1990s, self-reported seat belt use has continued to improve, with 83.5% of Americans now reporting they "always" wear a seat belt when driving or riding in a vehicle (up from 70.4% in 1997).