Worrying about personal finances is becoming the 800-pound gorilla in room for a growing number of Americans, many of whom are taking a duck-and-cover approach to addressing the problem, according to a new survey.

A survey conducted by Aviva USA in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic indicates that many Americans have become uncomfortable with their financial situation and don't even like to talk about it. In addition, respondents surveyed said they don't understand financial products, feel unprepared for retirement and consequently rarely discuss finances.

Mike Miller, executive vice president of sales and distribution for Aviva USA, said such avoidance is by and large generated by an individual's dearth of personal financial knowledge and anxiety over not knowing how to tackle the problem. West Des Moines, Iowa-based Aviva USA is a provider of indexed life insurance and indexed annuities.

"Many people choose to ignore rather than address matters related to their financial wellness," Miller said. "Whether retirement age is looming or decades down the road, it's always prudent to take the necessary steps to be better prepared."

The survey indicated that two out of three American men and women report feeling stressed out and list their financial situation as the primary contributing factor.

Miller said the survey also indicated how uncomfortable most people are with their financial position and how closely linked financial concerns are to stress, which can then generate health issues. Yet despite those concerns, only about one in five of those surveyed works with a financial services professional.

"When someone has serious health concerns, they generally go see a doctor," Miller said. "If our car isn't running well, we take it to a mechanic. But for some reason, many Americans let financial worries fester rather than talk to a professional for financial guidance."

Aviva USA surveyed more than 2,000 U.S. adults on April 19-20 on their financial preparedness and health habits to uncover how these factors impact their overall well-being. The survey was conducted by Ipsos, a global market research company.

Additional survey findings include:

People who work with a financial services professional are more than twice as likely to feel comfortable with their current financial situation as those who do not.

Just one in three respondents feels they are, or will be, prepared for retirement.

Forty-three percent of people surveyed who own life insurance said they probably don't have enough.

Those who do not own life insurance are 45% more likely to feel highly stressed than those who do own life insurance.

Jim McConville