Philips Global Index

The ‘Philips Index for Health and Well-being: A global perspective’ report, is an analysis of responses from over 31,000 people across 23 countries, that provides new insight into people’s health and well-being across the globe.

The report reveals that people in India the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Singapore feel significantly more positive about their state of health and well-being when asked than those in some of the most developed economies of the world such as Japan, much of Europe and the Americas.

The Japanese and British are amongst the nations who rate their physical health the lowest, with the UAE and India rating it the highest. Dissatisfaction with weight is a common theme across all the countries surveyed, and there is a strong correlation between this and dissatisfaction with overall physical health, especially among women.

The situation observed with emotional health is very similar, suggesting a link between the two. Feelings of stress are also seen to have a significant impact on emotional health. While this is a worldwide issue, the highest levels are reported in India, Taiwan and Korea.

Surprisingly, although the report reveals that nine out of ten respondents believe that responsibility for looking after our health lies firmly in our own hands; this doesn’t always translate into action. Although almost two thirds of us will go and see a doctor if we have a specific health issue, more than half (51%) of us are unlikely to follow-up on our doctor’s advice.

Although people across the globe practice a variety of methods to improve their health, spending time with family and friends or relaxing at home are the main ways we enhance our sense of well-being. This influence is most notable in the Middle East and Asia.

The ‘Philips Index for Health and Well-being: A global perspective’ report marks the first global research report to be released by The Philips Center for Health & Well-being (www.philips-thecenter.org), a knowledge-sharing forum that provides a focal point to raise the level of discussion on what matters most to people, communities and thought leaders.