May 03 2015

India leads the Cigna 360° Well-being score at 72.8 while the region trails at 65.3

This high level of well-being is driven by high scores in physical, family and workplace well-being but scores low on financial well-beingThere is a lack of knowledge among Indians on body weight and healthy diet - 85% of the respondents claimed to eat a healthy diet but 37% were considered overweight/obese based on their BMI.53% of Indians are not prepared for any large unexpected medical expenses.Almost 1 in 3 (31%) people say that they cannot live without their smartphone.With economic growth, 62 % of Indians show early signs of stress.

Mumbai, India, May 3, 2015:  Cigna TTK Health Insurance today unveiled the findings from the Cigna 360° Well-being Score - India Report. The survey focuses on monitoring and tracking motivations, perceptions and attitudes toward overall ‘well-being’ amongst consumers across 11 countries. The Cigna 360° Well-being Score is designed to take an annual and holistic look at health and well-being in India in 10 cities with a sample size of 3021 respondents. This was conducted as an independent study by Ipsos. The study is based on five key indices - physical, social, family, financial and workplace well-being, providing an overall score measuring consumers’ perceptions.

“We are committed to our customers in India by offering world class individual health care services and well-being solutions. The Cigna 360° Well-being Score helps us gain a better understanding of our customers’ personal perceptions about total health and well-being at a regional level,” explained Mr. Jason Sadler, President of Cigna International Markets.

India ranked highest in overall well-being in the region at 72.8, which is above the regional average of 65.3 in a league of overall well-being score results across 11 countries. The countries surveyed were China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, New Zealand, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and the UK.

The findings from the United Nations and the European Union suggest that happiness is U-shaped with the middle age group (40+) being least happy relative to the young and old. However, India seems to deviate from the usual “happiness U-curve”.  The 60+ Indian generation seems to feel the bulk of the strain where the overall well-being score drops (35%). (See Fig.1).

Commenting on the survey, Mr. Sandeep Patel, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Cigna TTK Health Insurance said, “At Cigna TTK Health Insurance, we believe in partnering our customers in illness and in wellness. We will leverage insights from the Cigna 360° Well-being study to create customized health insurance solutions and services that are simple, easy to access, affordable and provide a sense of security for our customers.  This study supports our overarching strategy of delivering a differentiated value proposition to help our customers live healthier and happier lives.”

The five dimensions of the Cigna 360° Well-being score for India revealed the following:

The Cigna 360° Physical Well-being score,

Knowledge about physical health and well-being is limited and there seemed to be a gap between perception and reality. The findings are:

  • 85% of the respondents claimed to eat a healthy diet, but, 37% were considered overweight/obese based on their BMI.

  • The survey results provide further support to the fact that India is considered the diabetes capital of the world with 54% of respondents saying they consider diabetes is their top health concern followed by heart disease at 49%

  • 57% claimed to exercise about 2.6 hours per week and the top three most popular forms of exercise reported were walking (59%), jogging (47%) and yoga (38%).

The Cigna 360° Financial Well-being score

This score highlights the need for Indian consumers to plan for their retirement and future expenses. The findings revealed:

  • 53% of Indians are not prepared for any large unexpected medical expenses.

  • In the past year, the majority (65%) paid for their medical expenses out of their own pocket and will continue to do so in the future.

  • During retirement, only about 1 in 4 (26%) claimed they will be covered by private insurance for their future medical expenses.

The Cigna 360° Social Well-being score

Technology and gadgets have adversely impacted the ‘social skills’ of Indians.

  • On an average, Indians spend almost 40 hours online (digital) per week, with key activities including online browsing, emailing and social networking. This represents about one-third of their waking hours spent online with the highest being internet browsing (15%).

  • Almost 1 in 3 (31%) people say that they cannot live without their smartphone.

  • Initial signs of gaming addiction are beginning to show, as 34% of the respondents felt that they are spending “unreasonable” time over gaming.

The Cigna 360°Family Well-being score

This dimension reveals the initial signs of the ‘sandwich generation’ emerging in India.

  • 89% of the respondents considered taking care of parent’s health and well-being. However, only 70% rate themselves as performing well in this area.  

  • Time spent with family was given maximum importance by 73%of respondents.

The Cigna 360° Workplace Well-being score

This dimension revealed the importance of job stability for Indians.

  • Employees in India are happy with 88% rating their workplace health and well-being as good to excellent.

  • However, with economic growth, 62 % of Indians show early signs of stress.

  • Employees in non-metro cities are happier than those in metro cities.

For India to achieve the perfect "happiness U-curve," there is a definite need for Indians to have a long-term financial plan in place to ensure they are able to cover their future medical expenses. Overall, Indians performed better than the rest of the surveyed region, but there is a need to increase their knowledge and understanding of various health and well-being aspects.

Diagrams and Charts

Fig. 1: The ‘Faces of Well-being’ – Cigna 360° Well-being Score

Description: https://www.manipalcigna.com/sites/default/files/press_release_may16.png

Research Methodology

  • The ‘Cigna 360° Well-being Score’ was conducted in 11 countries (including India) with a sample size of over 15,000 respondents.

  • In India, 3,021 respondents in 10 cities (metro & non-metro) were surveyed using a 20 minute quantitative online survey.

  • Respondents were a mix of males and females above the age of 25

  • The ‘Cigna 360° Well-being Score’ is an independent study commissioned by Cigna and conducted by Ipsos

About Cigna TTK Health Insurance Company Limited

Cigna TTK Health Insurance Company Limited is a joint venture between the U.S. based global health service leader, Cigna Corporation and Indian conglomerate TTK Group. Cigna Corporation (NYSE:CI) maintains sales capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions and has more than 89 million customer relationships throughout the world. TTK is widely recognized across India with a reputation built across eight decades for quality consumer products and services.

Cigna TTK is a stand-alone health insurance company having a pan India presence, headquartered in Mumbai. Cigna TTK offers differentiated health insurance solutions including health and wellness services that support customers in making lifestyle changes and managing chronic medical conditions.

To learn more, visit www.cignattkinsurance.in