The most highly rated aspects of living in America are science and technology, The Constitution, quality of life, colleges and universities.

What can’t get consumers’ respect are 4 systems of American life: the political system, the economic system, the education system, and the health care system.

HarrisInteractive polled 2,503 Americans in May 2010 on how they felt about various elements of life in the U.S.

Entertainment, movies and TV also rank high on Americans’ scorecard.

Health Populi’s Hot Points: Roughly 2 in 3 Americans rate the nation’s health system fair or poor. While marginally more Republicans than Democrats like the U.S. health system, it’s hardly a majority: the stats are 43% of Republicans vs. 30% of Democrats. With respect to level of education, roughly one-third of Americans whether college educated or not rate the health system favorably. Health care is one area where most Americans aren’t content, regardless of education or political affiliation.

Science and technology, though, are beloved elements of This American Life. How can the health system leverage Americans’ love of science and tech to benefit the sector?

Use the fact that health care is based on science for a start. While this may be self-evident to readers of Health Populi, health citizens lack appreciation for the value of scientific investments, both by the public sector (e.g., NIH) and private sector (by pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, medical device manufacturers, health IT, etc.), and how these translate into medical care protocols, products, and procedures. Some simple, powerful communication that educates and informs people on the role of science in health care, that engages and entertains, would help address the chasm.

That speaks to Americans’ love of entertainment. Companies involved in entertainment will be taking on greater roles when it comes to health and health care. Think about Nickelodeon’s foray into the Let’s Move and Let’s Just Play campaigns with First Lady Obama as an example of entertainment/health messaging. Stay tuned, as it were, to more such efforts.