Published: November 15, 2011
Adult Americans Maintain Their Smoking Habit Despite Declining Access to Food, Shelter or Healthcare
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Despite the fact that Americans' access to basic necessities, such as
food, medicine, shelter, and healthcare has reached a four-year low of
81.2 percent this October, 21.1 percent of adult Americans continue to
smoke, according to new data pertaining to adult Americans 18 years or
older from the October 2011 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index (WBI).
This marks the third month in a row that the percentage of Americans who
smoke has reached 21 percent.
The results of the WBI basic access index indicates the impact that
smoking costs may be having on the nation's healthcare system. Even as
the average cost of healthcare is poised to continue to increase1,
30 percent of Americans who have not had enough money to pay for
healthcare and/or medicine in the past 12 months are smokers. The
percentage of smokers is cut in half (14.2 percent) when it comes to the
population that can afford to pay for healthcare and/or medicine in the
past 12 months. Of the Americans without a personal doctor, 27.5 percent
smoke.
"As the economic burden of smoking continues to greatly affect the US
healthcare system and the productivity of our businesses and
communities, more employers are turning to mandates and incentives to
get their employees to curb their nicotine addiction," said Ben Leedle,
Jr., Healthways President and CEO. "The October WBI smoking and basic
access numbers reveal an alarming disparity in the US population, and
show an immediate need for individuals to take steps to improve their
own well-being, proactively controlling these costs."
October data also reveals that of the 20 percent of Americans that did
not have enough money to buy food within the past 12 months, 34.9
percent are smokers. The percentage of Americans who smoke drops
drastically down to 13.8 percent for those who can afford to buy food.
The same pattern is observed when looking at those who did/did not have
enough money to provide adequate shelter in the past 12 months.
For more on the science and methodology behind the WBI, please visit www.well-beingindex.com.
About the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index
The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index is the first and largest survey
of its kind, with 1,000 calls a day, seven days a week. It is the
official statistic for Well-Being in America, giving a daily measure of
people's well-being at the close of every day based on the World Health
Organization (WHO) definition of health as not only the absence of
infirmity and disease but also a state of physical, mental and social
well-being. The Well-Being Index describes the correlation between the
places where people work and the communities in which they live, and how
that and other factors impact their well-being. Additionally, the
enterprise version of the Well-Being Index may be administered in
workplaces throughout the U.S. to determine the Well-Being score of a
specific employer population and how it compares to the employer's state
and nation. With such data, employers can uncover and address key
factors that impact the productivity and financial health of the
organization. For additional information, go to www.well-beingindex.com.
About Healthways
Healthways (NASDAQ:HWAY) is the leading provider of specialized,
comprehensive solutions to help millions of people maintain or improve
their health and well-being and, as a result, reduce overall costs.
Healthways' solutions are designed to keep healthy people healthy,
reduce health-related risks and optimize care for those with chronic
illness. Our proven, evidence-based programs provide highly specific and
personalized interventions for each individual in a population,
irrespective of age or health status, and are delivered to consumers by
phone, mail, internet and face-to-face interactions, both domestically
and internationally. Healthways also provides a national, fully
accredited complementary and alternative Health Provider Network and a
national Fitness Center Network, offering convenient access to
individuals who seek health services outside of, and in conjunction
with, the traditional healthcare system. For more information, please
visit www.healthways.com.
For more information about the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index,
please visit www.well-beingindex.com.
1 The Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and
Educational Trust Employer Health Benefits 2011 Annual Survey; http://ehbs.kff.org/.
Healthways
Kelly Motley, 615-614-4984
kelly.motley@healthways.com
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