July 9, 2021 – Most U.S. adults (77%) ages 50 and over in the United States rated their general health as in an online survey conducted by WebMD and Capital Caring Health (CCH), a nonprofit organization good, very good, or excellent excellent hospice / advanced disease care organization based in Virginia.
Of the respondents, 41% said that their state of health was very good or excellent.
However, ratings varied widely based on race, employment status, and income.
Self-reported health status by race / ethnicity *
Health% White% Black% Hispanic American **
|
Excellent / very good |
43 |
25th |
38 |
|
Well |
34 |
46 |
45 |
|
Fair Poor |
23 |
29 |
17th |
* The sample sizes were too small to report results for Asian, Native American / Native Alaskan, and Hawaiian / Pacific islanders ancestry.
** Respondents who indicated they were Hispanic descent were not counted in the black, white, or other category to avoid overlap.
Employment status was also associated with a significant difference in the way people rated their health at the upper and lower levels.
The middle level (“good” state of health) was given similarly (from 33% to 37%), regardless of whether a person was employed, retired or inactive. However, respondents were much more likely to say they were in “excellent” or “very good” health (51% versus 44% for retirees and 21% for those inactive).
Conversely, those who were not employed were much more likely to report “adequate” or “poor” health (45%) than those who were employed (13%) or retired (20%).
Similarly, respondents with an income of less than $ 50,000 were three times more likely to report their health status as “fair” or “poor” than respondents with an income of more than $ 100,000 (36% versus 12%).
WebMD / CCH surveyed 3,464 U.S. citizens ages 50 and older between August 13 and November 9, 2020. WebMD.com readers were randomly invited to take part in a 10-minute online survey.
Aging at home a priority
The survey also showed a strong preference for aging, says Steve Cone, director of communications and philanthropy at CCH.
“Thanks to the COVID experience, baby boomers and their children now believe more than ever that this is the holy grail,” he says.
Cone notes that the rapid spread of COVID-19 in some nursing homes at the start of the pandemic likely fueled people’s determination to live their lives in their own four walls.
The survey found that 85% of people over 50 who live in their own home, with a family member, or with a loved one said it was “very important” or “important” to stay home when they were old.
When asked what services they would need to keep their living conditions going, the most common answers were housekeeping, house repair and transportation (35% to 45% of respondents listed as needs). In terms of changes they would need to make to feel safe in their home as they age, installing grab bars and / or safety bars in the bath / shower was the most popular answer (50%).
Use of telemedicine
Respondents were also asked about their level of acceptance of telemedicine, and 62% said they were likely or very likely to be making virtual doctor visits in the future.
However, the likelihood varies based on income levels. In particular, respondents with incomes above $ 100,000 were significantly more likely to say they would use telemedicine in the future than those with incomes below $ 50,000 (74% versus 60%). They were also more likely to use telemedicine.
Percentage of telehealth professionals by income
Income level% usage
|
More than $ 100,000 |
64 |
|
$ 50,000- $ 100,000 |
54 |
|
Less than $ 50,000 |
47 |
While respondents generally welcomed telemedicine, they are less confident about some types of surveillance, according to Cone.
Emergency response (64%) was the leading type of remote monitoring respondents aged 50 and over would allow. Only a minority of respondents would allow the other types of monitoring asked about in the survey.
Almost a quarter of respondents would not allow any type of surveillance.
Less than a third would allow monitoring of drug compliance, refrigerator use, sleeping habits, or bathroom use.
People see the surveillance of some movements as an “Orwellian,” says Cone.
Knowledge in the hospice
The results of the survey support the need for more widespread use of hospices so that people can stay at home as they age, says Cone.
If the illness becomes severe, “There’s no need to be rushed to the emergency room or hospital,” says Cone.
He points out that hospice and palliative care can come to patients wherever they are – at home, in an assisted living center, a nursing home, or even a hospital room.
“That doesn’t mean the doctor isn’t involved,” he says. “But when we work as a team, we can keep them intact in their home and lifestyle.”
Patients whose doctors certify an expected life expectancy of no more than 6 months are entitled to a hospice. But most families wait too long and too long to begin hospice or palliative care for a patient, Cone says, and may not know what those services typically cover, including meal preparation and pet care.
In the survey, almost a third of respondents said they did not know that palliative care is something that “can be provided at any stage of a serious illness” or “non-medical services (e.g. insurance matters, making appointments, organizing transport).”
He points out that palliative care and hospice care are covered by Medicare and Medicaid, as well as by most private insurance plans or by individual companies offering the services.
However, healthcare providers may need to overcome a general reluctance to talk about the hospice when sharing options for the critically ill.
The survey found that 51% of people over 50 are at least “slightly interested” in learning more about the hospice, but almost as many are “not at all interested” (49%).
Most of the hospice visitors are white
More than 90% of respondents said that aspects of hospice care, including “end-of-life comfort and pain relief,” providing a dedicated care team, and an alternative to other care settings, are “very important” or “important.”
However, according to Cone, the usage rates of national hospices for minorities and the LGBTQ community are extremely low. According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, 82% of Medicare hospice recipients were white, 8.2% black, 6.7% Hispanic, and 1.8% Asian or Pacific islanders.
These numbers signal the need to reach these communities with information about what services are available and how to access them, he says.
Health care costs main concern
The survey also asked about levels of concern about issues such as family, health, finances, and end-of-life policies, and found that adults aged 50 and over were the greatest concerns about healthcare costs that are not covered by insurance.
More than half (56%) said they were worried or very worried about these costs, which was higher than the percentage who were worried about losing a spouse (49%).
Less concerned (“slightly concerned” or “not at all concerned”), respondents were less concerned about their children living far away, planning end-of-life guidelines, falling, or limited mobility.
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WebMD / Capital Careing Health Survey.
Steve Cone, Head of Communications and Philanthropy, Capital Caring Health.
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