More afraid of the financial crisis than of diseases

Financial crisis is more worrying than possible diseases

12/22/2012

Is the financial and debt crisis more feared than illness? A representative study by DAK Gesundheit examines Germans' fears of illness and clearly identifies declining health concerns among the population. Possible explanation is the growing concern about a continuing financial crisis, which displaces the fears of health problems, so the assessment of the DAK.

Overall, 88 percent of respondents in the DAK survey rated their health status as good or very good. Significantly fewer people than in the previous year were afraid of serious physical or mental illnesses, according to the latest DAK Gesundheit communication. The Germans are still most worried about cancer or a malignant tumor disease.

3,000 people questioned about their fear of illness
On behalf of DAK Gesundheit, the Forsa Institute surveyed 3,000 men and women about their fears of illness. The representative survey shows that overall there has been a clear decline in disease concerns compared to the previous year. The decline in anxiety about mental illness was particularly dramatic (from 36 percent in 2011 to 28 percent currently). But the widespread fear of cancer has also fallen by five percentage points to 68 percent. However, two-thirds of Germans are still afraid of a malignant tumor. In the other disease concerns, the researchers observed not only a significant decline in fears overall, but also in some significant shifts. So have today „For the first time, more people are afraid of Alzheimer's and dementia than of a stroke, although in these diagnoses the fear decreased noticeably compared to last year“, reports the DAK.

Media coverage influences the fears of the population
According to the DAK expert Dieter Carius it seems so, „as if permanent media coverage of disease and health risks also fuels people's fears.“ Accordingly, the reactor accident in the Japanese Fukushima, the EHEC epidemic, the Alzheimer's disease of former Schalke manager Rudi Assauer and the „burnout“ by football coach Ralf Rangnick through their media presence in the past year for increased disease fears. This year, on the other hand, the financial crisis dominates the reporting, which is why „Many people now probably have other problems than worrying about possible diseases“, explained the DAK expert. This assessment is confirmed by the survey results in the individual federal states. For example, a quarter of the people in Baden-Wuerttemberg (state with the most widespread fear of cancer) last year named the discussion about nuclear power and reactor accidents as the reason for the fear of a malignant tumor. This year, however, 36 percent fewer people in Baden-Württemberg gave a corresponding justification. Here it becomes clear how current events and the media coverage affect the fears of the population.

Fear of diseases with regional differences
According to the latest DAK survey, most Germans rate their state of health as positive and are therefore not afraid of serious mental or physical illnesses. However, there are clear regional differences. For example, 92 percent of the respondents in Lower Saxony and Bavaria rated their health status as particularly good, while only 84 percent came to such a rating for the rear lights of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony-Anhalt. Despite the overall decline in disease concerns, the health care provision of the respondents has not decreased overall, reports the DAK. Accordingly, participation in cancer screening, health checks and sports activities remained almost constant. Anyway „Fear a bad counselor in a health-conscious behavior“, explained DAK expert Dieter Carius and added: „It is always better when the motivation has other reasons“, because then be „the chances of lasting success are much greater.“ (Fp)

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