Health Care and Retirement Expenses Stress American Women: Survey

What You Need to Know

Respondents said their general health was worse than their mental health.
Low-income white and Hispanic women said their financial security was worse this year than last.
Roughly a third of those surveyed said their retirement income or savings would not be enough to pay their monthly bills.

American women continue to face significant economic stress, and they are concerned about how to pay for health care and other daily expenses in retirement.

That’s according to survey results released this week by the National Council on Aging, a policy group supporting more government help for older adults, and the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement, an education and advocacy group supporting women’s financial security.

Across demographic and party lines, women express strong support for federal policy solutions that could help with these issues.

“Health and financial security are the bedrocks of a good quality of life — regardless of age,” Ramsey Alwin, NCOA’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “It’s troubling to hear that women across the lifespan — especially those with lower incomes — continue to struggle, making it extremely difficult for them to prepare for retirement.” 

Public Opinion Strategies and Lake Research Partners conducted an online poll in early March among 1,022 women 25 and older, with oversamples of 314 rural women and low-income women by ethnicity: 260 white, 241 Black and 203 Hispanic. 

The survey asked respondents whether they were Republicans, Democrats or independents. “Low income” was defined as an individual with $25,000 in income per year ($50,000 for two or more people in a household). Respondents self-identified as lower income, working class or middle class and said they had $0 to $5,000 in retirement savings.

Health Concerns

Women in the survey were candid about their fears and concerns when it comes to health. Asked how prepared they are for health costs later in life, they said they were uncertain and worried.

Respondents said their general health was worse than their mental health, and low-income and rural women rated their general and mental health a net negative.

About a third of women reported having experienced delays in access to health care or food insecurity issues in the past year, and a fifth said they had experienced delays in filling prescription medicines.

Survey participants viewed a low income as the most negative influence on a person’s health. They also viewed being a woman, having a minimal education and being Black or Hispanic as net negatives.