| 2003 Thyroid Survey Results -- Part 3 | |
By Mary J. Shomon
This is the first large-scale quality of life survey of
thyroid patients, and the first to look at critical patient concerns such as
unrelieved symptoms, weight problems, attitudes toward patient organizations,
smoking behavior, and effective treatments and solutions.
A summary of the survey findings is located at:
http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aasurveysumm.htm
From late 2001 to 2002, a survey was conducted with readers
of Mary Shomon’s various thyroid disease websites. Final results will be
published later in 2003, but preliminary results, based on a tally of 907
respondents, are being published here, to bring increased visibility to thyroid
issues to help highlight the January 2003 commemoration of Thyroid Awareness
Month.
Survey Page 1, 2, 3, 4
The tally of results of the survey are as follows:
If you are overweight, how many pounds over a healthy/normal weight are you at present?
Total Number of Responses / Percentage of All 907 Respondents
759
83.7%
30 to 50 pounds
189
24.9%
20.8%
10 to 20 pounds
150
19.8%
16.5%
50 to 75 pounds
138
18.2%
15.2%
20 to 30 pounds
103
13.6%
11.4%
75 to 100 pounds
76
10.0%
8.4%
5 to 10 pounds
62
8.2%
6.8%
100 to 150 pounds
40
5.3%
4.4%
More than 150 pounds
1
0.1%
0.1%
What types of approaches have you found helpful or successful to your thyroid problem?
Total Number of Responses / Percentage of All 907 Respondents
645
71.1%
Exercise
520
80.62%
57.3%
Diet, eating/avoiding specific foods
388
60.16%
42.8%
Vitamins and supplements
322
49.92%
35.5%
Herbal products, herbs
210
32.56%
23.2%
Prayer, religion, spirituality
125
19.38%
13.8%
Massage, Trigger Point Therapy
99
15.35%
10.9%
Support groups, peer support
89
13.80%
9.8%
Chiropractic
76
11.78%
8.4%
Meditation, visualization
75
11.63%
8.3%
Yoga
67
10.39%
7.4%
Counseling, therapy
60
9.30%
6.6%
Other
60
9.30%
6.6%
Tai Chi
34
5.27%
3.7%
Traditional Chinese medicine
22
3.41%
2.4%
Reiki
17
2.64%
1.9%
Accupuncture
12
1.86%
1.3%
NAET
3
0.47%
0.3%
Ayurvedic medicine
2
0.31%
0.2%
Biofeedback
2
0.31%
0.2%
If you have managed to successfully lose weight after being hypothyroid, what approach did you use? (select all that apply)
Total Number of Responses / Percentage of All 907 Respondents
334
36.8%
Exercise program, self-directed
177
53.0%
19.5%
Low calorie diet (general)
132
39.5%
14.6%
Low fat diet (general)
89
26.6%
9.8%
Weight Watchers
89
26.6%
9.8%
Low glycemic/low sugar diet
80
24.0%
8.8%
Other
54
16.2%
6.0%
Atkins Diet
40
12.0%
4.4%
A physician-overseen program
12
3.6%
1.3%
The Zone
9
2.7%
1.0%
Sugar Busters diet
7
2.1%
0.8%
Larrian Gillespie (Goddess/Menopause/Gladiator Diet)
7
2.1%
0.8%
Carbo Addicts Diet
6
1.8%
0.7%
Other group program in person
3
0.9%
0.3%
Body for Life
3
0.9%
0.3%
Online group, i.e., Ediets, Diets.com,
3
0.9%
0.3%
Suzanne Somers
3
0.9%
0.3%
LA Weight Loss
2
0.6%
0.2%
Jenny Craig
1
0.3%
0.1%
I currently have or in the past have been diagnosed with the following condition(s) (please check all that apply)
Total Number of Responses / Percentage of All 907 Respondents
525
57.9%
Allergies
425
81.0%
46.9%
Depression
332
63.2%
36.6%
Chronic Sinusitis
210
40.0%
23.2%
Anemia
177
33.7%
19.5%
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
157
29.9%
17.3%
Asthma
144
27.4%
15.9%
Endometriosis
123
23.4%
13.6%
Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome (MVPS) (heart murmur,
116
22.1%
12.8%
Fibromyalgia
105
20.0%
11.6%
Hormonal Deficiencies
98
18.7%
10.8%
Mononucleosis
86
16.4%
9.5%
Chronic Yeast / Candidiasis
79
15.0%
8.7%
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
77
14.7%
8.5%
Infertility
66
12.6%
7.3%
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
65
12.4%
7.2%
Adrenal problems
48
9.1%
5.3%
Plantar's Fascitis
39
7.4%
4.3%
Epstein Barr Virus (EBV)
34
6.5%
3.7%
Pituitary problems
14
2.7%
1.5%
Hepatitis
12
2.3%
1.3%
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
9
1.7%
1.0%
Hemachromatosis
1
0.2%
0.1%
Autoimmune Diseases
93
17.7%
10.3%
Hashimoto's
15
2.9%
1.7%
Diabetes
9
1.7%
1.0%
Rheumatoid Arthritis
6
1.1%
0.7%
Lupus
5
1.0%
0.6%
Sjogren's
4
0.8%
0.4%
Raynaud's
4
0.8%
0.4%
Eczema
9
1.7%
1.0%
Pernicious anemia
9
1.7%
1.0%
Crohn's
5
1.0%
0.6%
Psoriasis
7
1.3%
0.8%
Undisclosed autoimmune conditions
7
1.3%
0.8%
Hypoglycemia
3
0.6%
0.3%
Multiple Sclerosis
2
0.4%
0.2%
Vitiligo
2
0.4%
0.2%
Diverticulitis
2
0.4%
0.2%
Turner's Syndrome
1
0.2%
0.1%
Sweet's Syndrome
1
0.2%
0.1%
RSD, Med-related Cushing's Syndrome
1
0.2%
0.1%
Drug Treatments
Total Number of Responses / Percentage of All 907 Respondents
31
3.4%
I have been self-treating with iodine, kelp, bladderwrack, and/or bugleweed
18
58.1%
2.0%
I have been treated with lithium, amiodarone (Cordarone) or iodine in the past, or am currently being treated with these drugs
13
41.9%
1.4%
Smoking Information
Total Number of Responses / Percentage of All 907 Respondents
288
31.8%
I was diagnosed after stopping smoking
100
34.7%
11.0%
I am currently a smoker
79
27.4%
8.7%
I was a heavy smoker in the past
70
24.3%
7.7%
I've recently quit smoking
39
13.5%
4.3%
How long after stopping where you diagnosed?
1 year
22
22.0%
2.4%
6 months
20
20.0%
2.2%
9-10 years
17
17.0%
1.9%
1-5 months
11
11.0%
1.2%
6-8 year
11
11.0%
1.2%
10-15 years
10
10.0%
1.1%
9 months
8
8.0%
0.9%
20+ years
8
8.0%
0.9%
3-5 years
6
6.0%
0.7%
16-19 years
5
5.0%
0.6%
2 years
4
4.0%
0.4%
122
1.22
Radiation or Radium Treatments
Total Number of Responses / Percentage of All 907 Respondents
36
4.0%
I have had numerous xray treatments (not dental or diagnostic
27
75.0%
3.0%
I have had radiation treatment to my head, neck or chest
20
55.6%
2.2%
I have had radiation treatment to treat my tonsils,
10
27.8%
1.1%
I had "Nasal Radium Therapy" sometime during the 1940s
0
0.0%
0.0%
Neck Trauma
I have had serious trauma to the neck, such as whiplash from a car accident
179
100.0%
19.7%
Chemical Exposure
I live near a plant that produces rocket fuel, or my work exposes me to the chemical perchlorate
11
100.0%
1.2%
Nuclear Exposure
Total Number of Responses / Percentage of All 907 Respondents
48
5.3%
I lived or live near a nuclear plant
24
50.0%
2.6%
Lived near Hanford
9
18.8%
1.0%
Near Nevada
8
16.7%
0.9%
I lived or was visiting in or around Chernobyl during in
4
8.3%
0.4%
Downwind of bombing range on Viques
1
2.1%
0.1%
Exposed to cobalt radiation therapy
1
2.1%
0.1%
Moved to Hanover PA 2mos after 3-Mile Island mishap
1
2.1%
0.1%
Note: the survey was conducted among those who volunteered to submit information, and therefore is informational, and not for statistical purposes.
All survey contents and survey results © Copyright Mary Shomon, 2002-2003.
