New Survey Reveals Income More Significant Than RaceIn Quality Care (NAPSA)—In a new survey, American women reveal they are more likely to believe income has a greater impact than race on the quality of healthcare. Findings from the Avon Women’s Health Index showthat this perception is reality at least when it comes to mammograms. Specifically, two-thirds of the women surveyed have had mammograms— Impact of Income 5% 5% Impact of Race 2D% VO% IO% but uninsured, less affluent women are the group least likely to have had the procedure done. Most who have not had onecite their age as the main reason; others say they are too busy or do not think it is necessary. Uninsured women are not the only group to force health to take a back seat to other concerns, however. The survey found 68 percent of women say that spending time with their friends and family is a more important priority than improving their own health by eating healthier, reducing stress or getting into shape. Other key findings include: Women are more likely to believe they will get breast cancer than suffer a heart attack or develop diabetes, but most women are more likely to discuss other health concerns with their doctor than cancer, including weight and exercise. Following breast cancer (56 percent), respondents cited the following as their top four health concerns: heart disease (34 percent), ovarian cancer (25 percent), cervical cancer (24 percent) and sexually transmitted diseases (20 percent). Three-quarters (75 percent) S8% SO% None Not much Some A great deal Womensurveyed for the Avon Women’s Health Index said they are morelikely to believe income has a greater impact than race on the quality of healthcare. of all women describe their own health as “excellent” or “good” and most women feel that the quality of healthcare they receive today is “excellent” or “good.” Thirty-six percent think their healthcare has improved over the last five years. To learn more about the survey and the Avon Breast Cancer Cru- sade, visit www.avoncrusade.com and www.avonfoundation.org.
