| Health, wealth and crime – our biggest
worries HEALTH, finances and crime are the biggest concerns
facing Irish people, according to a survey.
The research among 2,000 people on both sides of the Border found that
their single biggest worry is falling victim to ill health, cited by two-out-of-five
people as their worst fear.
This health anxiety grows with people’s age and is particularly
high for those aged 45 and older, with almost three-quarters of those
between 55 and 64 naming it as their biggest concern.
The high cost of adequate healthcare was ticked by almost one-third
of respondents queried about their main source of stress with more older
people listing it as their top concern.
As interest rates and inflation continue to rise, personal finances are
the next biggest source of worry for Irish people, according to the Lifestyles
Report published by Mintel Ireland.
After health concerns, fear of not earning enough is the biggest cloud
on our minds, followed by having to watch every penny.
The younger generation of adults is most affected by these worries, particularly
those aged between 25 and 44, possibly reflecting those who have entered
the housing market since the start of the property boom.
But even those not yet burdened with the complications of fixed and variable
interest rates are worried, with getting onto the property ladder emerging
as a major concern for one-in-five people aged from 15 to 24.
Fewer than one-in-10 Dublin residents believe their financial situation
has improved in the past three years, and just 14 per cent are comfortable
with their standard of living.
More than a quarter of Irish adults cited being a victim of crime as a
worry, but the level rises to 40 per cent for those aged 65 and older.
Mintel refers to a recent EU survey in which more than one-in-five Irish
people reported being victims of crime in 2004, well above the European
average, while the country was also had the highest rates of assaults,
sexual assaults, robberies, car thefts and personal thefts of all surveyed
countries.
Despite all these worries, one-third of the people who were surveyed plan
to spend their well-earned cash by getting away from it all and taking
a foreign holiday this year.
One-in-five, however, the number one priority for their money will be
to save it, although a similar number will splash out on home decorating.
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