LOUISVILLE,   Ky.- In Kentucky 4 in 10 adults report excellent or very good health (43%)   and about 3 in 10 (26%) report good health. Those are among the findings in   the latest Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) released by the Foundation for   a Healthy Kentucky and Cincinnati-based Interact for Health.

Research   has found a powerful link between people's self-report of their personal   health status and the predicted length and quality of their lives.

KHIP   highlights include:

  
• Three in 10 Kentucky adults        report fair or poor health (31%). These Kentuckians frequently cite a        current health problem or access to healthcare as barriers to health        improvement.
  
• Two thirds of Kentucky adults        (65%) report it would be difficult or very difficult to make a positive        health change.
  
• Kentuckians report time, money        and motivation as barriers to health change.

"Kentucky   adults understand that more exercise and a healthier diet can help them get   healthier," stated Susan Zepeda, President/CEO of the Foundation for a   Healthy Kentucky. "A majority say making a change to improve their   health would be difficult or very difficult. While time, money and motivation   were frequently named as barriers to making positive health changes, a few   also acknowledged the role that the physical and policy environment can play   in supporting healthier living. We can support better health for all   Kentuckians by making changes in our built environment to make exercise   easier, supporting access to fruits and vegetables, and continuing to offer   all Kentuckians health insurance."

Sponsored   annually by Interact for Health and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky,   the Kentucky Health Issues Poll is a 1,600-household phone survey, polling   Kentuckians for their views on key health policy issues likely to come before   the legislature or local policymaking bodies. Foundation for a Healthy   Kentucky is a non-profit philanthropic organization whose mission is to   address the unmet health care needs of Kentuckians by developing and   influencing health policy, improving access to care, reducing health risks   and disparities, and promoting health equity. 

The   complete report is here.