Vital Health Report Brought to You by ASA
While some people, especially athletes, may appear as the pictures of health, it is important to recognize that without knowledge of one’s Vital Health scores, appearances can be deceiving. According to a new report released by the ASA, the risk of having an underlying existing health condition is very real for seemingly healthy but misinformed Americans who overlook underlying Vital Health measures.
According to the ASA’s inaugural Vital Health Report, Americans associate good health with lifestyle behaviors at the expense of key Vital Health measures such as cholesterol and blood pressure that indicate overall health. Americans also believe they know more about their Vital Health than they actually do.
In fact, anesthesiologists are the real experts who see every day in hospitals throughout the U.S. how the Vital Health of patients directly and profoundly affects medical procedures and long-term well-being. As the physicians responsible for safeguarding the health of patients when it matters most, anesthesiologists urge all Americans to improve their Vital Health by monitoring underlying vital measures. Vital Health is how effectively people maintain a healthy lifestyle, in part by monitoring these measures, and how this affects wellness and positive medical outcomes.
The Vital Health Report is based on a survey of more than 1,000 Americans examining their knowledge, attitudes, awareness and behaviors associated with health and wellness. Key findings include:
Vital Health Measures Are Overlooked
While respondents overwhelmingly associate good health with daily habits, they overlook underlying Vital Health measures (such as cholesterol, body mass index, blood pressure and disease screenings) that are some of the key indicators of Vital Health.
- Nearly half of respondents associate Vital Health with healthy behaviors, while only 27 percent associate it with blood pressure. Less than 15 percent associate Vital Health with such key measures as heart rate, cholesterol level and respiration, some of the true indicators of overall health.
- More than one-third of respondents only “sometimes” ask their physicians for specific medical results, while 7 percent never ask.
- Nearly 70 percent of respondents say they had their cholesterol checked this past year, but one-third of them don’t know their actual cholesterol level. Almost 40 percent of those 18-35 years old say they have never had their cholesterol checked.
- Half of respondents don’t know their body mass index.
Vital Health Is Not Protected
There is a gap between what people know they should do and what they actually do to protect their Vital Health.
- Respondents believe that exercising at least three times each week has the most positive effect on Vital Health, but only slightly more than half say they consistently work out.
- Furthermore, they rank maintaining a healthy diet as the second most important factor, yet less than half say they actually maintain a good diet.
Personal Health Perceptions Vary Widely by Demographic Group
Respondents over the age of 65, as well as those within high-income households, more frequently evaluate themselves as healthy.
- One out of 10 respondents over the age of 65 say they believe they are “extremely healthy,” while only 4 percent of 35-49 year-olds say they believe they are.
- On average, 82 percent of respondents within high-income households ($125,000+) say they believe they are healthy compared to 71 percent of respondents who earn less.
Take the first step to improving your Vital Health by using the Know Your Vital Health Tool. After answering a series of health-related questions, you’ll receive a customized, anonymous health evaluation with suggested next steps.
The ASA will conduct three additional Vital Health surveys in 2010 to determine whether Americans are taking that next step and/or need more information.
>> Frequently asked questions about the Vital Health Report
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>> ASA Releases Vital Health Report 2
