Rollins-Gallup Public Health Priorities Survey
The public health challenges facing the United States are complex, varied, and growing.
The state of the nation’s public health and how to improve it are issues at the top of policymakers’ minds, and they affect Americans’ lives in important ways. To shed light on Americans’ views on public health, Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and Gallup partnered to conduct a survey on public health priorities, progress, and trust.
As the Trump administration and incoming public health leaders formulate new strategies, the findings from this report highlight bipartisan priorities and areas of opportunity for strengthening Americans’ trust in public health.
Read the full Public Health Priorities Survey Report
Top Public Health Priorities for Americans
- One in four respondents selected health care access issue as their highest priority, and more than half rated it in their top three priorities.
- Other top priorities include ensuring safe food and water, reducing chronic disease, andstrengthening safety net programs.
- A majority of respondents felt that the federal government can address most of their top public health concerns more effectively than state governments.
Trust in Public Health Information
- Respondents chose health care providers like doctors and nurses, scientific research, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as their most trusted sources of public health information.
- The least trusted sources of public health information were political leaders.
- Trust varied across demographic groups: while adults 18-29 years old trust scientifc research and health care providers about equally, adults 65 and up are much more likely to trust their health care provider.
- Social media is also much more trusted for public health information among young Americans than older Americans. It is also more trusted among Republicans than Democrats.
