Health Policy (15)

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Health Policy (p. 15)

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. Dec. 3-4, 2002. N=900 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 3.
.
"Even though there are some risks involved with taking the smallpox vaccine, the government may offer vaccinations to protect Americans in case of a bioterrorism attack. If a smallpox vaccination were offered to you, would you take the shot or not?"
		%	.	.	.	.
	Yes	59	.	.	.	.
	No/Not sure	41

The Gallup Poll. Nov. 11-14, 2002. Nationwide.
					.
"Do you think the United States government should or should not initiate a program that offers a smallpox vaccine to all Americans?" Form A (N=526 adults, MoE ± 5)
		Should	Should Not	No Opinion
		%	%	%
	11/02	72	21	7
					.
"Would you, personally, get a smallpox vaccine if it were available?" Form B (N=475 adults, MoE ± 5)
		Yes	No	No Opinion
		%	%	%
	11/02	55	35	10

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. Nov. 7-8, 2002. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
				.
“As you may know, the government's Medicare program does not currently pay for prescription drugs. Which one of the following three statements best describes your opinion about what, if anything, the government should do to help people over 65 pay for prescription drugs? Should the federal government keep things as they are now -- Medicare should not pay for prescription drugs? Should the federal government expand Medicare to pay directly for part of seniors' prescription drug costs? Should the federal government help seniors buy private health insurance plans that would pay part of their prescription drug costs?”
				.
		11/02	8/02	11/00
		%	%	%
	Expand Medicare to pay directly	60	55	56
	Help seniors buy private insurance plans	30	36	32
	Keep things as they are now	6	5	6
	Don't know	4	4	6

Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard University poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. June 13-23, 2002. N=1,402 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
						.
		ALL	Whites	Blacks	Latinos
		%	%	%	%
"Now I have some questions specifically about AIDS and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Thinking about the way the problem of HIV/AIDS affects THIS COUNTRY today, do you think the problem is ABOUT THE SAME as it has been, that the country is MAKING PROGRESS in this area, or that the country is LOSING GROUND?"
	About the same	20	20	19	21
	Making progress	49	51	35	45
	Losing ground	26	23	43	28
	Don't know	6	6	3	6
						.
"In general, do you think the federal government spends TOO MUCH money on HIV/AIDS, TOO LITTLE money, or ABOUT THE RIGHT AMOUNT?" Form 1
	Too much	7	8	8	1
	Too little	39	36	52	49
	About right	39	40	26	40
	Don't know	15	16	14	9
						.
"Compared with the amount of money the federal government spends on other health problems, such as heart disease and cancer, do you think federal spending on HIV/AIDS is too HIGH, too LOW, or ABOUT RIGHT?" Form 2
	Too high	11	12	8	9
	Too low	29	24	55	36
	About right	42	45	26	41
	Don't know	18	20	12	14
						.
"Next, thinking about U.S. spending to deal with the problem of HIV/AIDS in developing countries such as those in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Do you think the U.S. is now spending too much, too little, or about the right amount to deal with the HIV/AIDS problem in developing countries?" Form 2
	Too much	16	17	11	18
	Too little	31	25	56	36
	About right	34	36	27	28
	Don't know	20	22	7	18
						.
"Bearing in mind the different ways people can be infected with HIV, how concerned are you PERSONALLY about becoming infected with HIV? Are you very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not at all concerned?"
	Very	18	11	43	32
	Somewhat	15	15	12	19
	Not too	21	23	18	16
	Not at all	46	51	27	32
	Don't know	1	1	-	1
						.
"As I read you some statements about AIDS, please tell me whether you agree or disagree with each one. Here's the first one . . . ."
						.
	"In general, it's people's own fault if they get AIDS."
	Agree	40	40	40	48
	Disagree	55	55	57	48
	Don't know	4	5	3	4
						.
	"I sometimes think that AIDS is a punishment for the decline in moral standards."
	Agree	26	25	31	27
	Disagree	70	71	64	72
	Don't know	4	4	5	2

The Harris Poll. May 15-21, 2002. N=1,013 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

"Genetic testing involves testing someone's genes or DNA to see if they have inherited a high risk of getting one or more diseases. This is likely to become much more common in the future. In general do you think it is a good or a bad thing that we will be able to use genetic testing to find out what diseases individual people are likely to get?"
		%
	A good thing	81
	A bad thing	11
	Not sure	8

"If you were given a genetic test which showed how likely you were to get one or more serious diseases, which of the following do you think should be allowed to see this information? . . ."
			%
	Your regular doctor		90
	Any doctor who is helping you to prevent a disease for which the test shows you are at risk		69
	Your health insurance company which is paying the cost of this treatment or care		39
	A life insurance company from which you want to obtain life insurance		25
	Your employer who is paying for part of your health insurance		17
	Not sure		5

ABC News/Beliefnet Poll. March 13-17, 2002. N=1,021 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3. Field work by TNS Intersearch.

"Do you think it should be legal or illegal for doctors to help terminally ill patients commit suicide by giving them a prescription for fatal drugs?" Asked of half the sample (Form A)
		%
	Legal	40
	Illegal	48
	No opinion	12
			.
"Imagine a law that would make it legal for doctors to help terminally ill patients commit suicide by giving them a prescription for fatal drugs. To be eligible, patients would have to be diagnosed as having less than six months to live, get a second opinion from another doctor, and ask for the drugs three times. And, there would be a 15-day waiting period before the prescription could be filled. "Under this system, do you think it should be legal or illegal for doctors to help terminally ill patients commit suicide by giving them a prescription for fatal drugs?" Asked of half the sample (Form B)
		%
	Legal	46
	Illegal	48
	No opinion	6

The Harris Poll. Dec. 14-19, 2001. N=1,011 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

"Do you think that the law should allow doctors to comply with the wishes of a dying patient in severe distress who asks to have his or her life ended, or not?"

		Should	Should Not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	2001	65	29	6
	1997	68	27	4
	1993	73	24	3
	1987	62	32	4

"In 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that individuals do not have a constitutional right to doctor-assisted suicide. Do you agree or disagree with this decision?"

		Agree	Disagree	Unsure
		%	%	%
	2001	32	63	4
	1997	32	65	3

"In 1994, people in Oregon voted on a proposition that would allow doctor-assisted suicides for patients with less than six months to live. Doctors would be allowed to help patients to commit suicide -- but only if ALL of the three following conditions were met: (a) The patient requests it three times. (b) There is a second opinion from another doctor. (c) There is a 15-day waiting period for the patient to change his or her mind. Would you favor or oppose such a law in your state?"
		%
	Favor	61
	Oppose	34
	Unsure	5

"This proposition, allowing physician-assisted suicide, was approved by a majority in Oregon. Attorney General Ashcroft recently moved to overrule the proposition, which he says is now illegal. Do you think Attorney General Ashcroft was right or wrong to do this?"
		%
	Right	35
	Wrong	58
	Unsure	7

ABC News.com Poll. Nov. 28-Dec. 2, 2001. N=1,022 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
					.
"There's a vaccine that would protect people from smallpox, but the vaccine itself can kill a small number of the people who get it -- about 1 out of every 500,000 -- and make another 1 out of 150,000 seriously ill. Some people say all Americans should be vaccinated against smallpox to protect them in case terrorists try to spread the disease. Others say the chance that terrorists could get a hold of smallpox is too slight to justify the risk of the vaccine itself. If a smallpox vaccine became available, would you yourself get the shot, or not?"
		Would	Would Not	No Opinion
		%	%	%
	11/28 - 12/2	50	41	9

*CNN/USA Today/Gallup* Poll. July 10-11, 2001. N=998 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
			.
"Now thinking about a patients' bill of rights: Based on what you have heard or read, do you favor or oppose Congress passing a patients' bill of rights?"
		%
	Favor	71
	Oppose	14
	No opinion	15
			.
	Asked of those who favor passage of a patients' bill of rights (N=717, MoE ± 4): If a patients' bill of rights does not become law this year, who do you think would be more responsible: [rotate] the Democrats OR the Republicans?"
		%
	Democrats	36
	Republicans	44
	Both/Neither (vol.)	8
	No opinion	12
			.
"Which are you more concerned about regarding the outcome of a patients' bill of rights: [rotate] Americans will not be able to sue their HMOs when they suffer serious harm, OR, frivolous lawsuits against HMOs will increase the cost of health insurance for Americans?"
		%
	Won't be able to sue	36
	Higher cost of insurance	51
	Both/Neither (vol.)	5
	No opinion	8

ABC News.com Poll. July 5-8, 2001. N=1,023 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3. Field work by TNS Intersearch.
						.
"There are two plans in Congress that would let people sue their HMOs over a denial of medical coverage. [Rotate:] One plan makes it easier to sue and allows for higher claims; supporters say this would pressure HMOs to allow needed treatments. The other plan makes it harder to sue and limits claims; supporters say HMOs otherwise would have to raise health insurance premiums to cover their legal expenses. Which of these plans do you prefer: [rotate:] the one that makes it easier to sue and allows for higher claims, or the one that makes it harder to sue and limits claims?"
		ALL	Demo- crats	Repub- licans	Indepen- dents	.
		%	%	%	%	.
	Easier to sue	49	61	38	52
	Harder to sue	35	27	46	30
	No opinion	17	12	16	18

*CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll*. June 28-July 1, 2001. N=1,014 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
			.
"Based on what you have heard or read, do you favor or oppose Congress passing a patients' bill of rights?"
		%
	Favor	58
	Oppose	11
	No opinion	31
			.
"Even if you don't know all of the details, in general, whose approach to a patients' bill of rights would you be more likely to trust: the Republicans' or the Democrats'?"
		%
	The Republicans'	34
	The Democrats'	44
	Neither/Both (vol.)	12
	No opinion	10

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Robert Teeter (R). June 23-25, 2001. N=806 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.5.
			.
"Who do you trust more to write a patients' bill of rights into law: President Bush or the Democrats in Congress?"
		%
	President Bush	27
	Democrats in Congress	48
	Both equally (vol.)	5
	Neither/Other (vol.)	10
	Depends (vol.)	2
	Not sure	8
			.
"Which concerns you more as Congress considers a patients' bill of rights—that a new law will go too far, which would make HMO membership and insurance coverage more expensive, or that a new law will not go far enough, which would leave HMOs able to deny needed coverage?"
		%
	Will go too far	30
	Will not go far enough	53
	Depends (vol.)	5
	Not sure	12
			.
"Those who favor giving patients a broad right to sue as part of a patients' bill of rights say that it will force HMOs to be more accountable in covering needed procedures, and that lawsuits will be rare. Opponents say that a broad right to sue will lead to many frivolous lawsuits that will drive up the costs of health insurance so much that some people will lose insurance coverage. Who do you agree with more: the supporters of a broad right to sue or the opponents?"
		%
	Agree more with supporters	39
	Agree more with opponents	45
	Depends (vol.)	5
	Neither/Other (vol.)	3
	Not sure	8

The Harris Poll. Sept. 8-17, 2000. N=1,002 adults nationwide, including 781 likely voters. MoE ± 3.
.
		ALL	Likely Voters
		%	%
"Do you think that most people in this country get the health and medical care they need or not?"
	Do get what they need	22	24
	Do not	75	73
	Not sure	3	3
				.
"Do you think that as a country we could afford to provide everyone with all the health and medical services which they need, or would that cost more than we can afford?"
	We could afford to	64	62
	Would cost too much	30	32
	Not sure	6	6
				.
"Who do you think would do a better job of moving us to a system where almost everyone could afford to get the health and medical services they needed: Al Gore or George W. Bush?"
	Al Gore	50	53
	George W. Bush	31	30
	Neither (vol.)	7	5
	Not sure	13	12
				.
"Who do you think would do a better job of moving us to a system where almost everyone could afford to get the health and medical services they needed: a Republican-controlled Congress or a Democratically-controlled Congress?"
	Republican-controlled Congress	29	30
	Democratically-controlled Congress	54	55
	Neither (vol.)	5	4
	Not sure	14	12

CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. July 14-16, 2000. Nationwide.
				.
"Which of the following statements best describes your view of who's to blame for the health problems faced by smokers in this country? [Rotate:] (1) The tobacco companies are completely to blame. (2) The tobacco companies are mostly to blame. (3) Smokers are mostly to blame. (4) Smokers are completely to blame." Form A (N=506 adults; MoE ± 5)
			%	.
	Tobacco companies completely to blame		6
	Tobacco companies mostly to blame		20
	Smokers mostly to blame		29
	Smokers completely to blame		30
	Equally to blame (vol.)		14
	No opinion		1
				.
"As you may know, a Florida jury Friday ordered tobacco companies to pay $145 billion in damages to Florida smokers who have been made sick by smoking. Would you say you approve or disapprove of this decision by the Florida jury?" Form B (N=557 adults; MoE ± 5)
		%
	Approve	37
	Disapprove	59
	No opinion	4

The Harris Poll. June 29-July 5, 2000. N=1,009 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
.
		7/00	6/99	7/98	8/97	8/96
		%	%	%	%	%
"The health care system in this country has been undergoing major changes over the past several years. How do you feel about these changes? Overall, do you feel the system is getting much better, a little better, a little worse, or a lot worse?"
	Much better	5	4	4	4	3
	A little better	38	43	39	41	36
	A little worse	25	26	27	27	26
	A lot worse	25	18	23	22	23
	Neither better nor worse (vol.)	3	8	5	4	6
	Not sure	3	2	2	1	5
						.
"Given what you know, on the whole, do you think this trend away from traditional fee-for-service coverage and toward more managed care is a good thing or a bad thing?"
	Good thing	37	42	40	44	44
	Bad thing	52	44	47	44	37
	Neither (vol.)	2	6	6	6	4
	Not sure	9	7	6	6	15
						.
"Do you think the trend towards more managed care -- with more people belonging to HMOs, PPOs and other managed care plans -- will help to contain health care costs, or not?"
	Will help to contain costs	39	48	48	51
	Will not	53	43	45	42
	Not sure	8	8	7	7
						.
"Do you think the trend towards more managed care -- with more people belonging to HMOs, PPOs and other managed care plans -- will improve or harm the quality of medical care people like you will receive?"
	Improve	29	32	31	33
	Harm	59	55	58	54
	No difference (vol.)	4	5	4	7
	Not sure	8	9	7	5
						.
"Do you think the trend towards more managed care -- with more people belonging to HMOs, PPOs and other managed care plans -- will make your health plan more responsive to you as their customer, or not?"
	More responsive	28	36		38
	Not more responsive	63	56		55
	Not sure	9	8		7

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. June 28-29, 2000. N=900 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 3.
			.
"Earlier this week scientists announced they have completed a genetic map of the human body. If knowing your genetic code could tell you whether you would contract an incurable disease or not, would you want to know if you had that gene?"
		%
	Yes	59
	No	34
	Not sure	7
			.
"Do you think the ability to genetically map the human body is more likely to be a positive scientific discovery that reduces sickness and suffering, or a negative discovery that leads to lawsuits and ethical conflict?"
		%
	Positive	56
	Negative	28
	Not sure	16

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Robert Teeter (R). June 14-18, 2000. N=1,000 adults nationwide.
			.
"Later this month, scientists are expected to announce that they have completed a genetic blueprint of the human body. Some are hopeful that this will help to detect and combat illnesses. Others are concerned that this could violate privacy rights because information about people's health problems may be used against them. Does this concern you, or not?"
		%
	Yes, concerns	56
	No, does not concern	42
	Not sure	2

ABC News Poll. May 7-9, 2000. N=1,013 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3. Field work by TNS Intersearch.
			.
"How important will handling the issue of prescription drug benefits for the elderly be to you in deciding how to vote in the 2000 presidential election in November: very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not important at all?"
		%
	Very important	56
	Somewhat important	28
	Not too important	10
	Not important at all	5
	No opinion	1
			.
Asked of half the sample: "Which presidential candidate, [rotate] Gore or Bush, do you trust to do a better job handling the issue of prescription drug benefits for the elderly?"
		%
	Gore	49
	Bush	34
	Both (vol.)	2
	Neither (vol.)	6
	No opinion	9
			.
"Would you support or oppose having the Medicare insurance program cover prescription drug expenses for senior citizens?"
		%
	Support	89
	Oppose	7
	No opinion	4
			.
	Asked of those who answered "Support" to question above: "What if it meant you’d have to pay more into the Medicare system? In that case, would you support or oppose having Medicare cover prescription drug expenses for senior citizens?"
		%
	Support	81
	Oppose	15
	No opinion	4
			.
"Do you personally take prescription drugs on a regular basis, or only occasionally?"
		%
	Regularly	40
	Occasionally	45
	Never (vol.)	15

ABC News.com Poll. Oct. 27-31, 1999. N=1,010 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3. Field work by ICR.
			.
"In your opinion, should the tobacco companies have to pay money damages to people who develop smoking-related illnesses, or not?"
		%	.
	Should	34
	Should not	60
	Depends (vol.)	3
	No opinion	3

Gallup/CNN/USA Today Poll. June 25-27, 1999. N=1,016 adults nationwide.
			.
"As you may know, current law allows doctors employed by hospitals and HMOs to join labor unions, such as the one just formed by the American Medical Association. If your primary doctor was a member of a labor union, do you think that would make the medical care you received better than it currently is, no different, or worse than it currently is?"
		%	.
	Better	18
	No different	55
	Worse	24
	No opinion	3

*CNN/Time* Poll** conducted by Yankelovich Partners. May 26-27, 1999. N=1,017 adults nationwide.
					.
"Do you know anyone who has had a mental illness that has required treatment?"
		ALL	Men	Women
		%	%	%
	Yes	35	28	42
	No	63	71	56
	Not sure	2	1	2
					.
"Would you support or oppose the opening of a mental health clinic in your neighborhood?"
		%
	Support	70
	Oppose	20
	Not sure	10
					.
"Do you think the government should spend more money, less money, or about the same amount of money to treat people with mental illnesses who can't afford it themselves?"
		%
	More	67
	Less	4
	About the same	23
	Not sure	6
					.
"Do you think employers should be required to offer insurance for mental illnesses at the same level as insurance for physical illnesses, or don't you think so?"
		%
	Should be required	77
	Don't think so	18
	Not sure	5

Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Assoc. May 12-16, 1999. N=1,013 adults nationwide.
			.
"And now I would like to ask you some questions about organ donation. After people die, it is often possible to remove one or more of their organs, such as the kidneys, heart, liver, or pancreas, and transplant them into another person whose own organs are failing. Have you read or heard anything about organ transplants?"
		%
	Yes	88
	No	11
	Don't know	1
			.
"In general, do you support or oppose the donation of organs for transplant?"
		%
	Support	81
	Oppose	8
	Don't know	11
			.
"How likely are you to want to have your organs donated after your death? Would you say very likely, somewhat likely, not very likely, or not at all likely?"
		%
	Very likely	42
	Somewhat likely	25
	Not very likely	10
	Not at all likely	18
	Don't know	5
			.
"Have you granted permission for organ donation on your driver's license or on a signed donor card?"
		%
	Yes	42
	No	57
	Don't know	1
			.
"There is a proposal to pay people who agree to donate their organs when they die -- for example, with a $300 contribution to their funeral expenses. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?"
		%
	Good idea	53
	Bad idea	31
	Don't know	16
			.
"How much of a problem do you think it is that it takes too long for seriously ill people to receive organ transplants? . . ."
		%
	Major problem	74
	Minor problem	11
	Not much of a problem	4
	Don't know	11

*CNN/Time* Poll** conducted by Yankelovich Partners. Dec. 17-18, 1998. N=1,031 adults nationwide.
			.
"Would you like to have access to your genetic profile, or DNA, that would tell you some harmful diseases you could suffer from later in life, or wouldn't you like to have access to it?"
		%
	Would like to have access	62
	Would not	34
	Not sure	4
			.
"If you could, would you like to have access to your children's genetic profiles that would tell you which diseases they are likely to suffer, or wouldn't you like to have access to their profiles?"
		%
	Would like to have access	64
	Would not	33
	Not sure	3
			.
"Do you think a person whose genetic profile shows potential problems should pay higher health insurance rates than a person whose profile does not show potential problems, or don't you feel that way?"
		%
	Should pay higher rates	8
	Don't feel that way	88
	Not sure	4
			.
"Do you think insurance companies should or should not be able to obtain access to a person's genetic record, or DNA, without his or her permission?"
		%
	Should	6
	Should not	94
			.
"Do you think employers should or should not be able to obtain access to employees' genetic records, or DNA, without their permission?"
		%
	Should	5
	Should not	95

CBS News Poll. Nov. 23-24, 1998. N=1,158 adults nationwide.
						.
		ALL	18-29 Years	30-44 Years	45-64 Years	65 & Older
		%	%	%	%	%
"If a person has a disease that will ultimately destroy their mind or body and they want to take their own life, should a doctor be allowed to assist the person in taking their own life, or not?"
	Should	52	58	56	52	38
	Should not	37	36	35	35	46
	Don't know/No answer	11	6	9	13	16
						.
"If a person has a disease that will ultimately destroy their mind or body and they want to take their own life but cannot do it by themselves, should a doctor be allowed to administer lethal drugs to end the person's life, or not?"
	Should	47	52	52	47	33
	Should not	9	9	7	10	13
	Don't know/No answer	7	3	6	8	8
	Not asked -- answered "Should not" on previous question	37	36	35	35	46
						.
"In general, do you approve or disapprove of Michigan doctor Jack Kevorkian assisting people who are terminally ill who want to commit suicide?"
	Approve	43
	Disapprove	49
	Don't know/No answer	8
						.
"If you were seriously ill with a terminal disease, would you consider suicide, or not?"
	Yes/Probably	32	33	34	35	20
	No	54	59	51	49	63
	Maybe (vol.)	5	2	7	6	3
	Don't know/No answer	9	6	8	10	14
						.
"If a terminally ill relative or close friend asked you to help him or her commit suicide to end his or her suffering, do you think you would do it, or not?"
	Yes/Probably	16	21	18	17	8
	No	71	69	68	68	81
	Maybe (vol.)	4	4	6	4	2
	Don't know/No answer	9	6	8	11	9
						.
"And in your opinion, is a doctor injecting a terminally ill person with a lethal dose of drugs at the person's request the same thing as murder, or not?"
	Same as murder	30	23	28	30	42
	Not the same	61	73	63	63	38
	Depends (vol.)	3	1	3	2	6
	Don't know/No answer	6	3	6	5	14

The Harris Poll. Oct. 14-20, 1998. N=1,013 adults nationwide.
					.
"I would like to ask you about various diseases and accidents. For each one, please tell me what you think are the chances of it happening to you, where 10 out of 10 means it is certain to happen, 0 out of 10 means no chance at all. How many chances out of 10 do you think there are that you will ever [see below]?"
					.
		Very Likely 8-10	Somewhat Likely 4-7	Not Likely 1-3	No Chance 0	Has Happened (vol.)	Not Applicable/ Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%	%
	Be seriously hurt in a car accident	17	50	20	7	3	3
	Have a heart attack	17	52	20	7	2	2
	Get breast cancer (women)	16	47	22	12	1	1
	Have a stroke	14	49	23	10	2	2
	Get prostate cancer (men)	12	53	20	11	1	3
	Develop diabetes	15	30	31	19	3	2
	Get lung cancer	13	32	29	24	-	1
	Be shot/badly hurt by a stranger	8	30	40	18	2	2
	Be hit by your spouse/partner	6	8	24	58	1	4
	Be infected with HIV, the AIDS virus	3	8	29	58	-	1