Healthcare cost tops issues list

The cost of healthcare is the No. 1 health issue in the United States, participants in a UPI-Zogby International poll said.

Some 10,258 U.S. residents participated in a Zogby interactive poll looking at healthcare in the United States and 45.3 percent said the cost of healthcare was the country's top health issue.

Respondents were given a series of options and healthcare costs pulled in nearly four times as many responses as the No. 2 issue -- universal healthcare, which was the choice of 12.5 percent of those asked. Third on the list was "availability of health insurance" at 10.3 percent.

"Obesity" was fourth on the list at 7 percent, followed by "other health issue" (5.3 percent), "lack of exercise" (4.1 percent) and "price of prescription drugs" (3.9 percent). "Poor eating habits" and "reliable healthcare" tied for eighth at 2.5 percent and "cancer" was 10th at 2 percent.

Younger respondents -- those 18-29 years old -- were slightly less concerned with healthcare costs (39.2 percent) but listed "universal healthcare" (14.1 percent) and "availability of health insurance" (13.9 percent) higher.

The poll was conducted Feb. 9-12 and carries a margin of error of 1 percentage point.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.

Source: www.newsdaily.com