Healthways (HWAY) and Gallup recently published the Gallup-Healthways Monthly US Well-Being Report for August 2010. The overall measure, the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, declined slightly for the third consecutive month in August, dropping from 67.1 in July to 66.9 in August. The latest scorecard ended a run of 4 consecutive months during which time the index remained at, or above, 67. Further, all 6 domain scores declined in tandem in August 2010.
The reduced composite measurement of well-being as offered by the Well-Being Index confirms negative readings from other key barometric measures during the month. For example, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped in August, unemployment remained stubbornly high, and the Consumer Confidence Index refused to budge up significantly. The Well-Being Index confirmed that stress levels, at 39.8%, reached their highest level since March this year.
The Well-Being Index dropped partly due to the deterioration of the Work Environment Index, which declined from 48.1 in July to 47.7 in August 2010. The Work Environment Index thereby stagnated below the 50-mark in 18 of the preceding 20 months. The ongoing negative trend in workplace issues reflects the prolonged impact of the recession on the American workplace.
The Life Evaluation Index, which climbed to a record 50.8 in June 2010, sank to 49.3 in August. About 52.8% of the population was reportedly thriving in August, after roosting above 53% in each of the preceding 7 months. Nonetheless, this measure remains well above the nadir of 37.4% recorded way back in November 2008.
Among the other sub-indices, Healthy Behavior Index, which reached a record level of 65.5 in July, retreated slightly to 65 in August. The decline in the Healthy Behavior Index was largely due to a fall of over 100 basis points in the percentage of respondents who reported at least three days of exercise in the prior week.
Healthways is a prominent vendor of specialized and composite solutions that enable recipients to maintain or improve their well-being and, consequently, reduce systemic healthcare costs. The company's solutions are intended to keep people healthy and mitigate lifestyle risk factors that can cause disease and optimize care for those with chronic illness.
Gallup is known for providing timely and pertinent research on opinion. The company employs scientists in disciplines such as economics, sociology, management and psychology. Its consultants identify and monitor behavioral economic indicators on a worldwide basis, thereby enabling companies increase organic growth.
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