Poll: Nearly Half of Americans Concerned about Alzheimer's
This poll was taken as part of CBS News' "Where America Stands" series, an in-depth look at where the country stands today on key topics and an outlook for the future decade.
Nearly half of Americans are concerned they may one day be afflicted with Alzheimer's, a brain disease that mainly affects older Americans, a new CBS News poll shows. Just as many say they don't expect a cure for the disease to be found in their lifetimes.
Just a quarter of Americans give the country a grade of A or B when it comes to finding a cure for Alzheimer's disease, according to the poll, which was conducted from Dec. 17 – 22, 2009. Thirty-nine percent give the country a C, and another 27 percent give it a D or F. There are no differences by age.
Fifty-four percent of Americans expect a cure for Alzheimer's to be found in their lifetime, but 44 percent do not expect to see that happen. Those age 65 and over are most pessimistic about a cure being found in their lifetime; 19 percent in that group say that is not at all likely.
More than 5 million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer's, CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook reports, and that number is expected to rise to as many as 16 million by 2050.
Dr. William Thies, chief medical and scientific officer for the Alzheimer's Association, told Dr. LaPook people should be demanding that more resources be put toward finding better treatment for Alzheimer's.
Twenty-three percent of Americans have had to care for a parent or relative with Alzheimer's.
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care
Among Americans overall, 45 percent are very or somewhat worried about getting Alzheimer's themselves someday, and 54 percent are not worried. Those who have had to take care of a relative with Alzheimer's are more likely to be worried; 58 percent of them are.
People under 30 are least likely to worry about getting this disease someday.
See More Stories and Videos from the Series: Where America Stands
Read the Complete Poll
This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,048 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone December 17-22, 2009. Phone numbers were dialed from random digit dial samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.
This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
© 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. (CBS)
Just a quarter of Americans give the country a grade of A or B when it comes to finding a cure for Alzheimer's disease, according to the poll, which was conducted from Dec. 17 – 22, 2009. Thirty-nine percent give the country a C, and another 27 percent give it a D or F. There are no differences by age.
Fifty-four percent of Americans expect a cure for Alzheimer's to be found in their lifetime, but 44 percent do not expect to see that happen. Those age 65 and over are most pessimistic about a cure being found in their lifetime; 19 percent in that group say that is not at all likely.
More than 5 million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer's, CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook reports, and that number is expected to rise to as many as 16 million by 2050.
Dr. William Thies, chief medical and scientific officer for the Alzheimer's Association, told Dr. LaPook people should be demanding that more resources be put toward finding better treatment for Alzheimer's.
Twenty-three percent of Americans have had to care for a parent or relative with Alzheimer's.
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care
Among Americans overall, 45 percent are very or somewhat worried about getting Alzheimer's themselves someday, and 54 percent are not worried. Those who have had to take care of a relative with Alzheimer's are more likely to be worried; 58 percent of them are.
People under 30 are least likely to worry about getting this disease someday.
See More Stories and Videos from the Series: Where America Stands
Read the Complete Poll
This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,048 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone December 17-22, 2009. Phone numbers were dialed from random digit dial samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.
This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
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12 Comments Add a Comment See all 12 Comments
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- I'm really concerned about forgetting that there is a disease called Alzheimers. The scientists (Doctors) didn't know about bacteria and viruses up until 100 years ago. They are legends.....so are the stupid prices they charge for care.
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- What is with CBS and thier self generated stories based on flawed polls? I think they have forgotten that they are suppose to report the news, not make it. Yes, there is a joke in there.
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- I sure wish they would make pot legal then maybe some of it would help me remember things.
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- what was that I just wrote about, I seem to forget.
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- this disease is not new it has been around forever its called hardning of the arteries many old people forgot everything they knew.
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- Do you really believe that hardening of the arteries is the same as deterioration of the brain? You can reverse hardening of the arteries with a very rigid diet. You can't reverse Alzheimer's. Once the brain cells are dead, they are gone forever. You, like all of us, have a 1 in 8 chance of getting it. You might want to read about it.
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- Medicinal cannabis prevents alzheimer disease. States should allow store sales of this treatment. Pharmacies sell cannabis to relieve symptoms of dementia. Moderate level THC in the herb is a healthy chemical for the brain. Ronald Reagan prefered cannabis for relaxation.
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- The other half forgot the question.
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- The human life divides into 7 year cycles during which physiological, neurological and psychological changes takes place. Therefore, each life cycle has a unique set of lessons associated with it. These 7 year cycles are natural occurences of development. My 92 year old Mother passed away with end stage Alzheimer's in 2009. Several years a go when she was first diagnosed one of the doctors asked me what I knew about her childhood. I thought this was a odd question and he went on to tell me why he asked that. He said it was likely that Mother would revert back to her childhood memories and that would not be a bad place for her mind to be if she had a good childhood. But the doctor said that is a horrible place to relive if you had a bad childhood. I thought this was a very interesting statment that your childhood imprinting could effect your quality of life in old age.
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- I sure hope we'll find a cure for it.
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- What? Do I know you.
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- A cure for what?
