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Health Policy  (p. 14)


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Associated Press-Ipsos poll conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs. Dec. 17-19, 2004. N=1,002 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Overall, how confident are you in the safety of prescription drugs sold in the United States? Would you say you are very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not at all confident?"

.

Very
Confident
Somewhat
Confident
Not Too
Confident
Not at All
Confident
Unsure
% % % % %

12/17-19/04

36 48 10 5 1

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"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for ensuring the safety of prescription drugs in the United States. How confident are you in the ability of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ensure the safety of prescription drugs sold in the United States? Would you say you are very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not at all confident?"

.

Very
Confident
Somewhat
Confident
Not Too
Confident
Not at All
Confident
% % % %

12/17-19/04

27 50 16 7

 

CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. March 26-28, 2004. N=1,001 adults nationwide (MoE ± 3), including 228 adults 65 & older (MoE ± 7).

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"As you may know, there is a new Medicare law that deals with prescription drug benefits for senior citizens and changes the way Medicare will cover the medical expenses of some senior citizens. Based on what you have heard or read, do you favor or oppose the new prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients?"

Favor Oppose No
Opinion
% % %
ALL adults:
3/04 41 35 24
12/03 52 30 18

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Adults 65 & older:
3/04 36 48 16
12/03 46 39 15

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"Which of the following best describes your view of what the changes to Medicare prescription coverage will do to assist seniors who have problems paying for prescription drugs: it will help the situation, it will not have much effect, or it will hurt the situation?" Options rotated

Help Little
Effect
Hurt No
Opinion
% % % %
3/04 35 30 20 15

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"Which of the following best describes your view of what the changes to Medicare will do to solve the problem of making the Medicare system financially secure for the future: it will help the situation, it will not have much effect, or it will hurt the situation?" Options rotated

Help Little
Effect
Hurt No
Opinion
% % % %
3/04 18 37 28 17

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"Do you think the Bush Administration deliberately misled the American public about the costs of the new Medicare law, or not?"

Did Did Not No
Opinion
% % %
3/04 40 46 14

 

Quinnipiac University Poll. March 16-22, 2004. N=1,865 registered voters nationwide (MoE ± 2.3), including 384 voters 65 and older (MoE ± 5).

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"Do you think the Medicare bill affecting prescription drugs for senior citizens passed by Congress last year will be good for senior citizens or bad for senior citizens, or haven't you heard enough about it?"

.

Good for
Seniors
Bad for
Seniors
Haven't
Heard
Don't
Know
% % % %
ALL 20 22 54 4
Republicans 28 11 57 4
Democrats 11 36 49 4
Independents 19 22 55 4
65 & older 19 28 43 10

 

Associated Press Poll conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs. Feb. 16-18, 2004. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1.

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"How important will the issue of prescription drug benefits for senior citizens be to you in deciding how to vote in the presidential election? Will it be very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not important at all?"

Very Somewhat Not Very Not
At All
% % % %
2/04 44 34 12 10

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"Do you think the federal government should negotiate with drug companies for lower prescription drug prices for seniors, or should drug companies set those prices without government involvement?"

Negotiate Without
Govt.
Not
Sure
% % %
2/04 71 26 3

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"Regardless of how you usually vote, do you think the Republican Party or the Democratic Party is more likely to make prescription drugs for seniors more affordable?"

Republicans Democrats Not
Sure
% % %
2/04 33 52 15

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"Some want the federal government to make it easier for people to buy prescription drugs from Canada or other countries at lower cost. Others oppose that, arguing that the safety of prescription drugs from other countries cannot be assured. Do you favor or oppose the federal government making it easier for people to buy prescription drugs from other countries?"

Favor Oppose Not
Sure
% % %
2/04 65 32 3

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"Have you or has anyone in your household ever bought prescription drugs from Canada, Mexico or from another foreign country to get a better price or not?"

Yes No
% %
2/04 13 87

 

CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. Jan. 2-5, 2004. N=1,029 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Next, thinking about the recent changes to Medicare: Do you think the new prescription drug benefits for Medicare recipients go too far, are about right, or do not go far enough?"

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Too Far About
Right
Not Far
Enough
No
Opinion
% % % %
1/04 9 27 53 11

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"Do you think the changes made in Medicare coverage go too far, are about right, or do not go far enough?"

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Too Far About
Right
Not Far
Enough
No
Opinion
% % % %
1/04 12 27 50 11

 

Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. Dec. 15-17, 2003. N=815 adults nationwide. MoE ± 4.
         

"As you may know, Congress passed a new Medicare law that includes some coverage of prescription drug costs and changes the way Medicare covers other medical expenses for senior citizens. Overall, would you say you strongly approve, approve, DISapprove, or strongly disapprove of these recent changes?"

         
Strongly
Approve
Approve Disapprove Strongly
Disapprove
Don't
Know
  % % % % %
12/03 12 43 17 10 18
         

"In your opinion, does the Medicare legislation go too far, not far enough, or is it about right in how much it covers prescription drugs for seniors?"

         
Too Far Not Far
Enough
About
Right
Don't
Know
  % % % %
12/03 6 61 18 15

 

Harvard School of Public Health. Dec. 12-16, 2003. N=1,037 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"How concerned are you that you or a family member will get each of the following in the next three months? Would you say you are very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all about getting [see below]?"

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Very
Concerned
Somewhat
Concerned
Not Too
Concerned
Not At All
Concerned
Don't
Know
% % % % %

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The flu

29 33 21 17 -

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An infectious disease caused by bioterrorism

  18 19 27 36 1

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SARS, a respiratory disease from Asia

  16 14 28 42 1

 

CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. Dec. 5-7, 2003. N=1,083 adults nationwide (MoE ± 3), including, with an oversample, 252 adults 65 and older (MoE ± 8):

         

"As you may know, there is a new Medicare bill that deals with prescription drug benefits for senior citizens and changes the way Medicare will cover the medical expenses of some senior citizens. How much have you heard or read about these changes to Medicare: a great deal, a moderate amount, not much, or nothing at all?"

Great
Deal
Moderate
Amount
Not
Much
Nothing
At All
  % % % %
ALL 12 41 36 11
65 & older 21 52 22 5
         

"Do you favor or oppose the changes made in Medicare coverage?"

Favor Oppose No
Opinion
  % % %
ALL 44 34 22
65 & older 38 44 18
         

"How concerned are you that the new changes to Medicare will [see below]: very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all?"

Very Somewhat Not Too Not at All No
Opinion
  % % % % %

"Cost the government too much in the long run"

ALL 25 35 23 12 5
65 & older 30 33 19 14 4
         

"Not go far enough to help seniors pay for their prescriptions"

ALL 49 31 12 4 4
65 & older 56 29 7 3 5
         

"Be too complicated for Medicare recipients to understand"

ALL 39 35 16 6 4
65 & older 49 35 9 6 1
         

"Force some Medicare recipients into HMOs"

ALL 33 33 20 7 7
65 & older 48 25 15 6 6
         
"Benefit prescription drug companies too much"
ALL 43 30 13 8 6
65 & older 58 20 11 4 7
         

"Which concerns you more -- that the plan will cost the government too much in the long run, or that the plan will not go far enough to help seniors pay for their prescriptions?" Options rotated

Cost Too
Much
Not Far
Enough
No
Opinion
  % % %
ALL 22 75 3
65 & older 20 73 7
         

"Based on what you have heard or read about the new Medicare plan, do you think it will do more to benefit people who receive Medicare or do more to benefit prescription drug companies?" Options rotated

People Drug
Companies
No
Opinion
  % % %
ALL 36 50 14
65 & older 28 59 13
         

"Now thinking about the prices of prescription medicines: Which comes closer to your view of why prices for prescription drugs are so high -- to allow prescription drug companies to make unfair profits, or to allow prescription drug companies to fund the research necessary to create new medicines?" Options rotated

Unfair
Profits
Fund
Research
No
Opinion
  % % %
ALL 61 34 5
65 & older 64 27 9

 

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. Dec. 3-7, 2003. N=1,029 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

         

"As you may know, Medicare is the government health insurance program for people 65 and over. How closely have you been following news about the changes in the Medicare program that were voted on by Congress late last month: very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely or not closely at all?"

Very
Closely
Somewhat
Closely
Not Too
Closely
Not Closely
at All
  % % % %
12/03 17 35 23 24
         
"Given what you know about it, do you approve or disapprove of the Medicare changes voted on by Congress last month?"
Approve Disapprove No
Opinion
  % % %
ALL 32 38 30
Republicans 49 23 28
Independents 30 41 30
Democrats 22 52 26
65 & older 26 47 28
55-64 32 46 23

 

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. Dec. 3-4, 2003. N=900 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Based on what you've read or heard about the Medicare bill that was recently passed by Congress, do you think it will be good for senior citizens or bad for senior citizens?"

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Good Bad Mixed (vol.) Unsure
  % % % %
12/03 30 31 14 25

 

Gallup Poll. Nov. 3-5, 2003. N=1,007 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Taking into consideration both your risk of contracting it and the seriousness of the illness, how worried are you personally about experiencing the following illnesses: very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried, or not worried at all? How about [see below]?"

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Very
Worried
Some-
what
Worried
Not Too
Worried
Not
Worried
At All
Already
Have (vol.)
% % % % %
Cancer 16 47 19 17 1
Heart disease or heart attack 13 42 21 22 2
Arthritis or Rheumatoid arthritis 11 35 22 22 10
Diabetes 11 29 23 33 4
Stroke 9 34 28 28 1
High blood pressure 9 32 21 28 10
Vision loss 7 33 26 31 2
AIDS 7 9 18 66 -
Alzheimer's Disease 6 31 27 35 -
Hearing loss 5 30 27 35 3
Emphysema 5 13 25 54 2
Influenza, or the flu 4 30 29 37 -
Lyme Disease 3 15 25 56 -
Parkinson's Disease 3 15 32 49 -

 

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. Oct. 9-13, 2003. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Thinking about health care in the country as a whole, are you generally satisfied or dissatisfied with the quality of health care in this country?"

Satisfied Dissatisfied Unsure
% % %
10/03 44 54 1

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"Canada has a universal health care system run by the government that covers all people. Compared to Canada, do you think the overall health care system in the United States is better, worse or about the same?"

Better Worse Same Unsure
% % % %
10/03 29 37 23 11

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"Have you or has anyone in your household ever bought prescription drugs from Canada or from another foreign country in order to get a better price, or not?"

Yes No
% %
10/03 12 88

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"Some people say it should be legal for Americans to buy prescription drugs from Canada, Europe, and other industrialized countries because they'e less expensive. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it should be illegal because imported drugs may be less safe and effective. What do you think? Should it be legal or illegal for Americans to buy prescription drugs from Canada, Europe, and other industrialized countries?"

Legal Illegal Unsure
% % %
10/03 69 28 2

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"Which of these do you think is more important: providing health care coverage for all Americans, even if it means raising taxes, OR, holding down taxes, even if it means some Americans do not have health care coverage?" Options rotated

Coverage
For All
Holding
Down Taxes
Unsure
% % %
10/03 79 17 4
12/99 71 26 3

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"Which would you prefer: the current health insurance system in the United States, in which most people get their health insurance from private employers, but some people have no insurance, OR, a universal health insurance program, in which everyone is covered under a program like Medicare that's run by the government and financed by taxpayers?" Options rotated

Current
System
Universal
Program
Unsure
% % %
10/03 33 62 6

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Asked of respondents who answered "universal program":
"
Would you support or oppose a universal health insurance program if it limited your own choice of doctors?"

Support Oppose Unsure
% % %
10/03 57 41 2

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Asked of respondents who answered "universal program":
"
Would you support or oppose a universal health insurance program if it meant there were waiting lists for some non-emergency treatments?"

Support Oppose Unsure
% % %
10/03 62 33 5

 

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. Oct. 9-13, 2003. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Medicare is the government health insurance program for people 65 and over. What kind of Medicare program would you prefer: the main Medicare program now, which lets you use any doctor but does not pay for prescription drugs, OR, an HMO Medicare plan, which limits your choice of doctors but does pay for prescription drugs?" Options rotated

Main
Program
Now
HMO
Plan
No
Opinion
% % %
10/03 40 57 3

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"Would you support or oppose a new federal program that would help pay prescription drug expenses for senior citizens, at a cost of 400 billion dollars over the next 10 years?"

Support Oppose No
Opinion
% % %
10/03 75 20 6
7/03 76 18 6

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Asked of respondents who answered "support":
"Would you be willing or unwilling to pay higher taxes to fund that program?"

Willing Unwilling No
Opinion
% % %
10/03 79 20 1
7/03 71 27 2

 

CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. Aug. 25-26, 2003. N=1,009 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"As you may know, many Americans now buy prescription drugs from Canada, even though the practice is illegal, because the drugs are cheaper there than in the United States. Do you think Congress and the president should or should not make it legal for Americans to buy prescription drugs from Canada and other countries outside the U.S.?"

Should Make
It Legal
Should Not Unsure
% % %
8/03 71 28 1

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"Have you ever bought prescription drugs from Canada or other countries outside the United States in order to pay a lower price?"

Yes No
% %
8/03 8 92

 

Gallup Poll. July 7-9, 2003. N=1,006 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Overall, do you think that most of the food served in fast food restaurants is very good for you, fairly good for you, not too good for you, or not good at all for you?"

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Very Good Fairly Good Not Too Good Not Good
at All
Unsure
% % % % %
7/7-9/03 1 22 53 23 1

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"How responsible is the fast food industry for the health problems faced by obese people in this country: very responsible, somewhat responsible, not too responsible, or not responsible at all?" Options rotated

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Very Somewhat Not Too Not at All Unsure
% % % % %
7/7-9/03 6 27 25 41 1

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"Would you favor or oppose holding the fast food industry legally responsible for the diet-related health problems of people who eat fast food on a regular basis?"

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Favor Oppose Unsure
% % %
7/7-9/03 9 89 2

 

Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. July 14-Aug. 5, 2003. Nationwide.

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"I'd like to read you a list of some programs and proposals that are being discussed in this country today. For each one, please tell me whether you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose it. The first one is: The U.S. government guaranteeing health insurance for all citizens, even if it means repealing most of the recent tax cuts." Form 1 (N=1,284, MoE ± 3.5)

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Favor Oppose Unsure
% % %
7-8/03 67 26 7

.

"I'd like to read you a list of some programs and proposals that are being discussed in this country today. For each one, please tell me whether you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose it. The first one is: The U.S. government guaranteeing health insurance for all citizens, even if it means raising taxes." Form 2 (N=1,244, MoE ± 3.5)

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Favor Oppose Unsure
% % %
7-8/03 67 29 4

 

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Robert Teeter (R). July 26-28, 2003. N=1,007 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1.

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"Congress is currently debating plans to help pay a portion of prescription drug costs for senior citizens and certain disabled people who are insured under Medicare. Do you think that Congress and President Bush should or should not pass the Medicare prescription drug plans that Congress is currently debating?"

Should Should
Not
Depends
(vol.)
Not
Sure
% % % %
7/03 70 15 4 10

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"Which type of Medicare program would you personally prefer: one in which the federal government provides your insurance for medical treatments, or one in which you could choose a private company that uses Medicare money to provide your insurance for medical treatments?"

Government
Insurance
Private
Company
Depends
(vol.)
Not
Sure
% % % %
7/03 25 67 2 6

 

Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. June 19-July 2, 2003. N=1,201 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"In the past 12 months, which of the following things, if any have happened to you or your family? Have you or your family [see below]?"

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Yes No Unsure
% % %

"Had great difficulty affording the cost of necessary medical care"

6-7/03 34 65 1
3/94 29 70 1

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"Been dropped from a health insurance plan, or refused coverage"

6-7/03 10 89 1
3/94 10 89 1

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"Been refused coverage by a health insurance company for specific preexisting conditions or medical problems"

6-7/03 12 87 1
3/94 14 85 1

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"Stayed at a job you didn't like just to keep the health insurance coverage"

6-7/03 24 74 2
3/94 21 77 2

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"Had great difficulty affording the cost of prescription drugs"

6-7/03 35 65 -

 

CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. June 27-29, 2003. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"How much trust do you have in each of the following when it comes to deciding Medicare policy: a great deal, a moderate amount, not much, or none at all? How about [see below]?"

Great
Deal
Moderate
Amount
Not
Much
None
At All
No
Opinion
% % % % %

George W. Bush

6/03 18 38 23 19 2

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The Democrats in Congress

6/03 13 42 30 13 2

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The Republicans in Congress

6/03 11 40 28 18 3

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"Do you think the Medicare system is in need of a complete overhaul, major reforms, minor reforms, or no reforms?"

Overhaul Major
Reforms
Minor
Reforms
No
Reforms
No
Opinion
% % % % %
6/03 26 41 26 4 3

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"Would you favor or oppose legislation that would spend $400 billion over the next 10 years to create a new Medicare program that would help senior citizens pay for prescription drugs?"

Favor Oppose No
Opinion
% % %
6/03 76 19 5

 

Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. April 30-May 4, 2003. N=602 adults nationwide. MoE ± 4.5.

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"As you may know, people in several countries in Asia and Canada have recently died from a new disease known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS. How worried are you that you or someone in your family will be exposed to SARS: very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried, or not worried at all?"

Very
Worried
Somewhat
Worried
Not Too
Worried
Not
Worried
At All
% % % %
4-5/03 9 28 29 34

 

CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. April 5-6, 2003. N=1,009 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

.

"As you may know, people in several countries in Asia and Canada have recently died from a new disease known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS. How worried are you that you or someone in your family will be exposed to SARS: very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried, or not worried at all?"

Very
Worried
Some-
what
Worried
Not Too
Worried
Not
Worried
At All
% % % %
4/03 10 27 39 24

 

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. April 3, 2003. N=511 adults nationwide. MoE ± 4.5.

.

"On another subject, how closely are you following news about the illness known as SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome: very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely or not closely at all?"

Very
Closely
Somewhat
Closely
Not Too
Closely
Not Closely
at All
% % % %
4/03 26 48 15 10

.

"How concerned are you that you or someone in your immediate family might catch the SARS virus? Is that something that worries you a great deal, somewhat, not too much or not at all?"

A Great
Deal
Somewhat Not Too
Much
Not at All Unsure
% % % % %
4/03 11 27 37 24 3

.

"What worries you more: that you or someone in your immediate family might be a victim of a terrorist attack, or that you or someone in your immediate family might catch the SARS virus?"

Terrorist
Attack
SARS Neither (vol.) Both (vol.) Unsure
% % % % %
4/03 42 35 15 7 2

 

Associated Press poll. Jan. 31-Feb. 4, 2003. N=1,002 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

.

"How prepared do you feel this nation is to protect the health of its citizens in the event of a biological terrorist attack? Would you say that this nation is very prepared, somewhat prepared, not too prepared or not at all prepared to protect the health of its citizens in the event of a biological attack?"

%

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.

.

.

Very prepared 7

.

.

.

.

Somewhat prepared 47
Not too prepared 26

.

.

.

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Not at all prepared 17
Don't know 3

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"How worried are you about the possibility that terrorists may use smallpox in attacks in the future? Would you say you are very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried or not worried at all?"

%

.

.

.

.

Very worried 15

.

.

.

.

Somewhat worried 39
Not too worried 28

.

.

.

.

Not worried at all 15
Don't know 3

.

"Most Americans have not gotten smallpox vaccinations for years, but the vaccines would protect people if terrorists released smallpox into the air. The vaccine carries some serious side effects, however, and can be fatal for a small percentage who get it. If you were offered the vaccine, would you get it to protect yourself or not?"

%

.

.

.

.

Would get it 54

.

.

.

.

Would not get it 34
Don't know 12

.

"Are you the parent or guardian of any children under 18 now living in your household?"

%

.

.

.

.

Yes 35

.

.

.

.

No 64

.

Asked only of those who have children living in their home:
"Considering the possibility of a smallpox attack and the possibility of side effects from the vaccine, would you have your child vaccinated against smallpox or not?"

%

.

.

.

.

Yes 61

.

.

.

.

No 24
Don't know 15

 

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Robert Teeter (R). Jan. 19-21, 2003. N=500 adults nationwide.

.

"The Bush Administration wants to add prescription drug coverage to Medicare while also reducing the program's long-term financial deficit. Which statement comes closer to your view? Statement A: In order to provide drug coverage and control costs at the same time, the entire Medicare program must be changed to work more like the private insurance market. OR, Statement B: Medicare can add prescription drug coverage while working mostly as it does now, because costs can be controlled without having to change the entire program."

  %
A. Entire Medicare program must be changed 32
B. Coverage can be added without changing entire program 59
Not sure 9

Earlier polls on health policy


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