American Health Values Survey, [United States], 2015-2016

Conducted to develop a typology of Americans based on their health values and beliefs. The survey examined values and beliefs related to health at both the individual as well as societal levels. The survey assessed the importance of health in day-to-day personal life (i.e. the amount of effort spent on disease prevention as well as appropriate seeking of medical care); equity, the value placed on the opportunity to succeed generally in life as well as on health equity; social solidarity, the importance of taking into account the needs of others as well as personal needs; health care disparities, views about how easy/hard it is for African Americans, Latinos and low-income Americans to get quality health care; and, the importance of the social determinants of health. In addition, the survey also explored views about how active government should be in health; collective efficacy, the ease of affecting positive community change by working with others; and health-related civic engagement e.g. the support of health charities and organizations working on health issues.