Survey Finds Nations Unhappy with Retirement Systems; U.S. Pessimistic about Health Care

Feb. 13, 2008 – A recent survey of the U.S. and five major European allies has found a general sense of pessimism about the way things are going, but the dominant dissatisfaction in all the countries is with the retirement systems. The survey also found Americans, living in the only one of the countries without a national health care system, are the most pessimistic about their country’s health care.

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A new Harris Interactive/France 24/International Herald Tribune survey finds that majorities of the public in Italy (80%), France (67%) and the United States (52%), as well as a plurality in Great Britain (41%) believe their respective countries are doing poorly. Spaniards and Germans are more divided. In Spain, 38 percent say things are going badly while three in ten (30%) say they are going well. In Germany just over one-third (36%) say things are going badly while 28 percent say they are going well.

Right or Wrong Direction?

Not only are things not going well in these six countries, there is also a perception that they are not moving in the right direction. Majorities in Italy (65%), the U.S. (59%), France (56%), and Great Britain (54%) and just under half of adults in Germany (49%) and Spain (48%) believe their country is moving more in the wrong direction. Spain and Germany are the most optimistic with 39 percent and 30 percent of adults, respectively, believing things are moving in the right direction.

RIGHT OR WRONG DIRECTION

"Do you think [the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.S.] is moving more in the right direction or wrong direction?"

Base: All EU adults in five countries and US adults

	Great Britain	France	Italy	Spain	Germany	United States
	%	%	%	%	%	%
More in the wrong direction	54	56	65	48	49	59
More in the right direction	16	27	19	39	30	17
Not sure	30	17	16	12	21	25

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

All unhappy with retirement systems

One reason there is so much negativity overall may be because such negativity exists on so many different issues in each country. The one overwhelmingly negative issue is the retirement system in each country where strong majorities in all six say things are going badly (from 58% to 73%).

ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM

"How do you think [the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.S.] is doing today with regard to the issues listed below? – The Retirement System"

Base: All EU adults in five countries and U.S. adults

	Great Britain	France	Italy	Spain	Germany	United States
	%	%	%	%	%	%
WELL (NET)	7	9	6	16	7	7
Very well	1	1	*	2	*	1
Well	7	8	5	14	6	6
Neither well nor badly	29	22	21	26	25	27
BADLY (NET)	64	70	73	58	69	65
Badly	41	42	38	38	44	38
Very badly	23	28	35	20	25	27

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Health care a big sore spot in U.S.

Attitudes toward health care are also perceived as not going well, but the U.S. stands out for the largest majority that thinks things are going badly. Interestingly, it is the only country without a national health care system. Spain is the only country where a majority does not believe health care is going badly.

ATTITUDE TOWARDS HEALTH CARE

"How do you think [the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.S.] is doing today with regard to the issues listed below? – Health care"

Base: All EU adults in five countries and U.S. adults

	Great Britain	France	Italy	Spain	Germany	United States
	%	%	%	%	%	%
WELL (NET)	17	23	13	37	20	11
Very well	3	5	1	4	2	2
Well	15	18	11	33	18	9
Neither well nor badly	27	24	32	27	29	21
BADLY (NET)	55	53	55	35	50	68
Badly	37	35	32	27	36	34
Very badly	18	18	23	8	14	34

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

These are just a few of the results of a Harris Interactive/France 24/International Herald Tribune survey conducted online by Harris Interactive® among a total of 6,676 adults aged 16 to 64 within France; Germany, Great Britain, Spain, the United States, and adults aged 18 to 64 in Italy, between January 10 and 21, 2008.

>> Click to Read more at Harris – “Feeling of Gloom and Doom Widespread in Europe and the U.S.”

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