Survey Measures Health and Happiness of Americans

A new survey that measures the nation’s general welfare found that half of all American’s struggle to stay healthy and happy.

Based on interviews of more than 100,000 people so far, the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index shows that 47 percent of Americans are struggling and 4 percent are suffering. Forty-nine percent of respondents are reported to be thriving based on a personal assessment of how they feel about their lives at the time of the survey, and where they think they'll be in five years.

The poll asks people to place themselves on an imaginary ladder with 10 steps. People who put themselves on step seven or above are categorized as “thriving”. Those at four or below are listed as “Suffering”. Anywhere in between were marked as “Strugglers”.

“Those who are thriving tend to have higher incomes, more education and less illness. Those who are suffering have trouble meeting their basic needs, including food, shelter and medical care,” said James Harter, Gallup's chief scientist for workplace management and well-being.

Harter said the U.S. is not No. 1 when it comes to health measure, nor is it No. 1 in general well being. For example, 83 percent of the residents of Denmark are classified as thriving versus 1 percent who are suffering.

The findings can be broken down by occupation, commute time and exercise habits. Researchers hope they will help employers better understand what they can do to create happier and healthier workers.

The data could even be used to compare health and happiness by ZIP code, creating quite a measuring stick for future generations of politicians.

"There's never been anything quite like it," said Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel Prize winner in economic sciences.

Kahneman, a Princeton University professor, was brought in by Gallup to discuss the potential uses for the data.

He says the survey provides details of what it’s like to live in this country.
"What is the experience of the weekend? What is the experience of the weekday for someone who is sick and has to go to work in the morning? We are going to learn a great deal about what are the determinants of actual happiness."

The United States invests more on health care than any country, but its health care system ranks 37th, according to Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"That doesn't sound like we're getting the best value from the investment we're making," Gerberding said. "That fundamentally is something we as a nation are waking up to."

Employers looking to address the issues confronting a particular workforce should take special note of the research implications.

Manufacturing or transportation workers are most likely to report a negative work environment—29 percent. Those who cite a negative work environment are most likely to miss more days of work. The survey found that a worker with up to three chronic conditions and a negative work environment will miss an average of 6.6 more days of work a year than a similar worker who likes his or her work environment.

Job dissatisfaction, an authoritative boss, lack of trust and lack of focus on individual strengths were classified as “negative work environment” in the survey.

Two-thirds of all workers reported one or more chronic diseases or recurring conditions. More than a quarter reported back or neck problems; 22 percent had high blood pressure and 23 percent cited high cholesterol. Depression accounted for one in 10.

Body mass indexes indicating they could be obese or overweight was reported by nearly two-thirds of workers.

The cost of maintaining the index is projected at more than $20 million annually. More than 1,000 are being interviewed daily.

Healthways, which works with companies to improve the health of workers, partnered with Gallup to pay for the survey.