The 2008 Survey of Health Care Consumers - a poll by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions of more than 3,000 Americans - examined the health care attitudes, behaviors and unmet needs by gender, age and ethnicity.

Key findings pertaining to African-Americans, compared to other ethnic groups:

• 78 percent say they have health insurance; the overall average of respondents was 88 percent
• 57 percent list healthcare as one of their top three presidential issues, highest of all ethnic groups
• 42 percent support a tax increase to provide health care coverage for the uninsured (against an overall average of 29 percent)
• Least likely to have a primary care physician (74 percent)
• Nearly 40 percent say they’d consider having an elective procedure in another country
• Most comfortable with using walk-in retail health clinics (5.4 of 10, 10 being highest comfort level)

Other findings:

• 41 percent view insurance plan Web sites as reputable information sources of doctor and hospital costs
• Tend to rate their doctors more highly than other groups (83.2 of 100, 100 being most positive rating)
• Nearly 30 percent say they would be willing to pay extra for same-day appointments (overall average of 26 percent)
• 1 in 4 would pay for online access to an integrated health record
• More likely to consult an alternative medical practitioner (44 percent) than other ethnic groups
• Just over half take at least one prescription drug
• Most likely to have asked their doctor about a drug after seeing it advertised on television, in print or on the Internet (61 percent, against an overall average of 51 percent)
• Least likely to maintain a health savings account (5.3 percent against an average of 11 percent)
• 1 in 3 have changed health coverage in the past 24 months
• 3 out of 4 say drug coverage influences their choice of insurance plan.
• Highest percentage of those willing to pay extra for wellness programs (31 percent, against average of 26 percent)

Related Content:
Survey: 2008 Survey of Health Care Consumers
Fact Sheet Library: Health Care Consumerism
Overview: Center for Health Solutions