Roughly 85 percent of Americans are more in tune with their pets' healthcare needs — keeping track of when they are next due for shots at the veterinarian's office — than they are with their own, according to a survey conducted by Cigna.
Cigna conducted the survey in September and released the findings in December. All total, the survey includes responses from 1,000 participants between the ages of 25 and 75 who have health insurance and indicated they are the decision-makers related to their family's health.
Although the vast majority of respondents knew their pets' shot schedule offhand, Cigna found:
- Forty-five percent of respondents knew that they should have an annual check-up
- Half of the respondents were unaware that annual check-ups are free if they have insurance
- One third said they visit their healthcare professionals only when a specific health problem arises
- Half knew their blood pressure level — a key barometer for assessing risk for heart disease and stroke
- Only 20 percent know their biometric numbers, such as body mass index
"Annual check-ups are critical to our personal health. They provide us with an opportunity to check on our most important health numbers such as body mass index, cholesterol and blood pressure, allowing us to gauge our overall well-being," said Isaac Martinez, MD, utilization management medical director at Cigna. "However, many Americans forget they need an annual check-up and many of those who know don't go. That's why we want people to 'know, go and take control' when it comes to their health."
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