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"Give it To Me Straight, Doc"…Most Americans want a Health Crystal Ball…now it may be closer to reality

February 2007 (Medialink) -- Give most folks a crystal ball and they'd have plenty of questions to ask- "When will I get married? Where will I live when I grow up? How many kids will I have?"

A new survey shows most Americans would welcome a crystal ball when it comes to their health, as well. And thanks to new technologies, doctors can increasingly see into their patients' medical futures.

According to a new national survey conducted by Siemens Medical Solutions, nearly three out of four consumers would take a test that identifies disease 20 years before symptoms appear. Perhaps surprisingly, more than one in three consumers would want to know now if they will be diagnosed sometime in their life with an incurable disease.

Other highlights of the survey include:

  Baby boomers are most likely to want to know if Alzheimer's disease and heart disease are in their future

  Women are 28 percent more likely to educate themselves about their options than men, if told they would be diagnosed with an incurable disease

  More than half of all people (52 percent) would "aggressively pursue treatment at any cost" if they found out their future held an incurable disease..

In many cases, genetic tests and molecular imaging can help patients unlock their medical future.