US: first results from the National Poll on Health Ageing

The University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (IHPI) has released the first results from the National Poll on Healthy Aging (NPHA), starting by publishing data on prescription drug use for people between the ages of 50 and 80

IHPI’s poll team will tap into the perspectives of older adults and their caregivers using a national sample. The overall goal of the poll is to inform the public, healthcare providers, policymakers, and ageing advocates, on issues related to health, healthcare and health policy.

“In medicine, sometimes we focus so much on the latest research findings that we lose the individual patient voice,” said lead researcher Preeti Malani. “Yet there are gaps in our understanding of health that cannot be filled with traditional medical research.”

Some health research studies can take years to complete. “One of the most valuable aspects of this poll is that the results are available quickly and can provide timely insight into current issues,” Malani said.

The research will provide insights that can be used to help older Americans adopt and maintain healthy behaviours. With nearly a third of US adults now aged over 50, the poll will take the pulse of this population on a wide range of health issues, and provide data and insights to inform healthcare policy, clinical practice, and future research.

More information: http://www.healthyagingpoll.org