A new poll shows Kentuckians are becoming increasingly aware of the commonwealth’s health issues and willing to act on them. The Kentucky Health Issues Poll is conducted annually by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. The latest poll for last year was just released this week and found many Kentuckians worry about childhood obesity and depression.
The poll also found mixed results when it comes to universal health insurance. Every region found 80 percent or more of citizens favored health care for everyone. But less than 50 percent in every region said they were favorable to the health care reform law Congress passed a few years ago.
Foundation CEO Susan Zepeda says the polling shows people approve the concept, but has issues with certain parts of the law.
“I think what they’re telling us is either that they are uncomfortable with the Affordable Care Act, they’re not aware of what it contains, or they think it may have approaches that aren’t consistent with their preferable approaches to solving those access and cost problems,” she says.
The poll did show low overall knowledge about the health care law and favorable response to individual aspects of the law.
Zepeda says one thing that is certain is a new awareness about obesity in Kentucky kids. After years of low awareness about the issue, the poll found increased awareness in all five regions of the state.
The poll surveyed 1,621 Kentuckians last Fall, including 308 by cell phone. The poll is typical conducted in the Fall of each year before being released the following spring.