A new survey by HeartFlow of more than 1,500 adults across the USA shows only 29% of respondents know that heart disease is the number one cause of death. The remaining 71% believe that health threats such as cancer, drug use, or vehicular accidents, among other factors, claim the most lives. The findings also demonstrate a significant lack of knowledge on women’s susceptibility to heart disease.
According to the survey, overall, 50% of Americans believe that breast cancer is the leading killer of women when actually heart disease is. This finding slightly changes when only data from female respondents are analysed but, even in this analysis, 46% of respondents still thought breast cancer was the biggest killer while only 41% thought it was heart disease.
Furthermore, despite 42% of Americans knowing they have a family history of heart disease and another 77% admitting to worrying about their heart health, 67% have never sought diagnosis or treatment. Specific to cardiac care, 30% of respondents reported that their most common fear was a missed or completely missed diagnosis.
The survey suggests that consumers are becoming more comfortable with new technologies,with 78% of people indicating they trust artificial intelligence technology to assist doctors with their tasks. Additionally, 78% think a combination of technology and human analysis results in the most accurate diagnosis, over either alone. In their everyday lives, 24% say they use an app to monitor their health.
John H Stevens, president and CEO, HeartFlow, comments: “At HeartFlow, we firmly believe that technology will play an integral role in changing patient care for the better. However, the physician’s role in the patient journey is crucial and we expect to see the best care administered only when doctors and technology work hand in hand.”
