https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-in...t-health-advice-drops-further-partisan-divide
Poll: Public trust in government health advice drops further, as partisan divide widens
Lisa Schnirring
Today at 3:00 p.m.
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
Anti-science
Public Health
Childhood Vaccines
COVID-19
When asked about the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the portion who said they had a "great deal" or a "fair amount" of trust in the agency making the right recommendations dropped slightly, from 66% in June 2023 to 61%, in the latest survey.
The poll revealed a greater drop in trust in the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as for state and local health officials, which dropped from 65% to 53% and from 64% to 54%, respectively.
Individual doctors have remained the most trusted source of information, but even that level declined a bit, with the share reporting "a great deal" or "a fair amount" of trust to make the right health decisions, down from 93% to 85%.
Partisan differences color trust in Trump administration
Partisan differences revealed during the pandemic remain, with Democrats 30 percentage points more likely to say they trust the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), along with its difference agencies and scientists—which include the CDC and FDA—to make the right health recommendations.
Meanwhile, officials found a similar partisan divide in trust in President Donal Trump's picks to run some of the agencies. Overall, about 4 in 10 people trust Trump, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, and Mehmet Oz, MD, to make the right health recommendations. But by political affiliation few Democrats (7%, 7%, and 14%, respectively) are on board with that assessment, compared with more than 8 in 10 Republicans responding favorably. Similar shares of Republicans said they trust Trump and the two health nominees as much as their own doctors.
Among the polls other findings, support for childhood vaccinations remains strong, but the share of Republican or Republican-leaning parents who report skipping or delaying some vaccines for children rose from 13% in 2023 to 26% in the new poll. On the other hand, KFF found that support for public school requirements for some vaccines remains strong, at 83%.
What about COVID and H5N1?
On other health topics, KFF found that myths about COVID vaccination persist and might be becoming entrenched among some Republicans. The percentage who thought more people died from the vaccine than the virus itself rose from 1 in 10 in 2023 to 4 in 10 in the new poll. In fact, COVID vaccines are estimated to have saved more than 3 million lives in the United States alone.
Regarding H5N1 avian flu, most said they aren't concerned that they or a family member would sick, though 44% said they are somewhat or very concerned about a widespread outbreak in the United States.
When asked if the US government is more prepared to respond to another pandemic or health crisis, 4 in 10 said the nation is more prepared than in 2020, with 1 in 4 (26%) saying less prepared, and one-third (34%) saying just as prepared.
KFF researchers conducted the poll from January 4 to January 14, 2025. The online and telephone survey included a nationally representative group of 1,310 US adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Poll: Public trust in government health advice drops further, as partisan divide widens
Lisa Schnirring
Today at 3:00 p.m.
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
Anti-science
Public Health
Childhood Vaccines
COVID-19
An erosion in public trust in government health agencies that began during the COVID-19 pandemic has continued over the past 18 months, according to new poll findings today from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).When asked about the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the portion who said they had a "great deal" or a "fair amount" of trust in the agency making the right recommendations dropped slightly, from 66% in June 2023 to 61%, in the latest survey.
The poll revealed a greater drop in trust in the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as for state and local health officials, which dropped from 65% to 53% and from 64% to 54%, respectively.
Individual doctors have remained the most trusted source of information, but even that level declined a bit, with the share reporting "a great deal" or "a fair amount" of trust to make the right health decisions, down from 93% to 85%.
Partisan differences color trust in Trump administration
Partisan differences revealed during the pandemic remain, with Democrats 30 percentage points more likely to say they trust the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), along with its difference agencies and scientists—which include the CDC and FDA—to make the right health recommendations.
Meanwhile, officials found a similar partisan divide in trust in President Donal Trump's picks to run some of the agencies. Overall, about 4 in 10 people trust Trump, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, and Mehmet Oz, MD, to make the right health recommendations. But by political affiliation few Democrats (7%, 7%, and 14%, respectively) are on board with that assessment, compared with more than 8 in 10 Republicans responding favorably. Similar shares of Republicans said they trust Trump and the two health nominees as much as their own doctors.
Among the polls other findings, support for childhood vaccinations remains strong, but the share of Republican or Republican-leaning parents who report skipping or delaying some vaccines for children rose from 13% in 2023 to 26% in the new poll. On the other hand, KFF found that support for public school requirements for some vaccines remains strong, at 83%.
What about COVID and H5N1?
On other health topics, KFF found that myths about COVID vaccination persist and might be becoming entrenched among some Republicans. The percentage who thought more people died from the vaccine than the virus itself rose from 1 in 10 in 2023 to 4 in 10 in the new poll. In fact, COVID vaccines are estimated to have saved more than 3 million lives in the United States alone.
Regarding H5N1 avian flu, most said they aren't concerned that they or a family member would sick, though 44% said they are somewhat or very concerned about a widespread outbreak in the United States.
When asked if the US government is more prepared to respond to another pandemic or health crisis, 4 in 10 said the nation is more prepared than in 2020, with 1 in 4 (26%) saying less prepared, and one-third (34%) saying just as prepared.
KFF researchers conducted the poll from January 4 to January 14, 2025. The online and telephone survey included a nationally representative group of 1,310 US adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.