ARE TO CANCER, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, DIABETES AND NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and neurological disorders, such …
| |
| | |For Immediate Release: |
| | |March 30, 2006 |
| | |Contact:Clarissa Vandersteen |
| | |Alliance for Aging Research |
| | |202-955-6222 |
| | |cvandersteen@spectrumsciencecom |
| | | |
| | |ROPER SURVEY: PUBLIC DOESNT REALIZE HOW VULNERABLE OLDER AMERICANS |
| | |ARE TO CANCER, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, DIABETES AND NEUROLOGICAL |
| | |DISORDERS |
| | |Alliance for Aging Research Almanac Underscores the Human and |
| | |Economic Impact of Chronic Diseases on Our Aging Nation |
|
| |Washington, DC - March 30, 2006- The Alliance for Aging Research |
| | |reports that by age 65, nearly nine out of ten Americans will have at|
| | |least one chronic condition; but a survey conducted this month by |
| | |Roper/GfK finds that most people sorely underestimate that figure |
| | |Furthermore, the Roper/GfK survey demonstrates a lack of knowledge |
| | |among Americans when it comes to their chances of getting cancer, |
| | |cardiovascular disease, diabetes and neurological disorders, such as |
| | |Alzheimers disease, as they age |
| | |Survey findings include: |
| | |When asked about their chances of having a chronic disease by age 65,|
| | |just 4 of Americans select the correct range 81 - 90 from a set |
| | |of possible answers read during the survey |
| | |Just
10 of the American public correctly estimates their chances of |
| | |getting cardiovascular disease 61-70 by retirement age and most |
| | |vastly underestimate their chances 39 are 20 points off or more |
| | |It is obvious from this survey that Americans are uninformed when it|
| | |comes to their susceptibility to chronic diseases as they age, |
| | |explained Daniel Perry, Executive Director, Alliance for Aging |
| | |Research Our society is both aging and living longer |
| | |Unfortunately, life after age 65 for most people means an increasing |
| | |risk of developing age-related chronic diseases |
| | |By 2030, the number of Americans age 65 and older will double as the |
| | |baby boomer generation ages As a result, Americans face an increased|
| | |risk of developing chronic conditions that often require ongoing, |
| | |expensive medical care and result
in a loss of independence and |
| | |productivity for themselves and their family caregivers At the same |
| | |time, the emergence of new technologies has the potential to redefine|
| | |old age for millions of people |
| | |To better understand the human and economic burden of chronic |
| | |disease, the Alliance for Aging Research introduces The Silver Book: |
| | |Chronic Disease and Medical Innovation in an Aging Nation The Silver|
| | |Book is an almanac that draws upon scores of authoritative studies |
| | |and analyses by the government, industry, private organizations and |
| | |prominent economists |
| | |We hope The Silver Book serves as a ready and trusted resource for |
| | |thought-leaders, policymakers and others who influence health care, |
| | |said Mr Perry
|
| | |The Alliance for Aging Research will keep the almanac current in |
| | |hopes that it will continue to inform decision-making and policy |
| | |innovations important to our aging society The Silver Book is |
| | |available for purchase and free download at wwwagingresearchorg |
| | |This survey was conducted by the Roper Public Affairs group among a |
| | |national random digit dialing RDD probability sample of 1,000 |
| | |Americans age 18 and above The survey was conducted March 17-19 2006|
| | |and the margin of error is 37 percentage points |
| | | |
| | |Founded in 1986, the Alliance for Aging Research is a nonprofit, |
| | |independent organization dedicated to improving the health and |
| | |independence of aging Americans through public and private funding of|
|
| |medical research and geriatric education The Alliance combines the |
| | |interests of top scientists, public officials, business executives |
| | |and foundation leaders to promote a greater national investment in |
| | |research and new technologies that will prepare our nation for the |
| | |coming senior boom, and improve the quality of life for todays older|
| | |generation |
| | |
Source:umm.edu
