HealthMine Survey Reveals U.S. Consumers Have Failing Grade in Knowing Their Personal, Key Health & Wellness Facts

DALLAS, April 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- As the healthcare industry debates the value of regular health screenings, consumers know a lot less about their health than they need to. While 83% of people say they have easy or somewhat easy access to their health information, 68% don't know their biometric measurements—key indicators of risk for chronic preventable conditions. That number is in stark contrast to the 81% of consumers who want to know their biometrics yearly or every 6 months.  It means that U.S. consumers have a failing grade when it comes to knowing their key health facts.

Results are from a March 2015 HealthMine survey of 561 consumers with company-sponsored health plans.  The survey also found that 80% of people believe it's easy to understand their health information. However, the majority come up blank when asked key facts about their health.

America's Failing Personal Health Knowledge Scorecard

• 17% of people know their blood sugar level
• 19% of know their cholesterol level
• 21% of people know their BMI (Body Mass Index)
• 32% of people know their blood pressure

Bryce Williams, CEO and President of HealthMine said, "If Americans don't know their biometrics, they are flying blind when it comes to managing their health and wellness.  Consumers think they have easy access to their health data, yet few know specific measures for their key health facts.  Data that doesn't improve knowledge won't lower health care costs."

Biometric health data can provide reliable information about risk for chronic conditions, which afflict one out of every two Americans, and account for 80% or more of all healthcare spending in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Biometric screenings can help detect early stages of chronic disease when individuals are still able to make lifestyle changes that could alter or manage disease progression. Providing easy access to this data and shedding light on what it means can help people make better decisions and lower costs.

Williams added: "Chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems. With out-of-pocket costs rising, it's no surprise that three out of four workers want guidelines and incentives from their employers to help them manage their health. Employers who deliver this support with personal clinical engagement can help bridge the gap for consumers and lower costs."

People with chronic conditions are the most frequent users of health care in the U.S. They account for 81% of hospital admissions, 91% of all prescriptions filled, and 76% of all physician visits. The CDC estimates that eliminating three risk factors--poor diet, inactivity, and smoking--would prevent 80% of heart disease and stroke, 80% of type 2 diabetes, and 40% of cancer.

About the Survey
The HealthMine survey. The HealthMine Wellness Preferences Survey was fielded by Survey Sampling International (SSI) on March 1-2, 2015. Data were collected via an opt-in panel. The margin of error is 4%. Survey Sampling International (SSI) has been the Worldwide Leader in Survey Sampling and Data Collection Solutions, across every mode, for 37 Years.

About HealthMine
HealthMine, a leading consumer health engagement company, has developed the wellness industry's first and only Personal Clinical Engagement (PCE) technology platform. HealthMine PCE automatically connects comprehensive clinical data with tailored recommendations, resources and incentives to create a personalized health portal available on any mobile device. HealthMine has more than one million users today, and has saved employers and payers more than $100 million in healthcare costs. The company, founded in 2008, is based in Dallas, Texas with offices in San Francisco, New York and Minneapolis.

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SOURCE HealthMine, Inc.

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