News

Americans Split on Health Care Reform Legislation Tuesday, February 23, 2010
A new poll finds Americans are evenly split on health care reform legislation: 43 percent in favor and 43 percent opposed. However, the poll also finds that majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents support several provisions in the health reform proposals in Congress and most attribute delays in passing the legislation to political gamesmanship rather than policy disagreements.

Newsweek Poll: Obama and Health Care Friday, February 19, 2010
Health care reform has lost a lot of momentum since the House and Senate passed their versions of reform legislation, and most recent polling has shown public support waning. The latest Newsweek poll, however, suggests that there is greater public support for some sort of House/Senate compromise bill than polls that do not scratch below the surface might indicate. The level of public support for the kind of plan supported by Barack Obama varies based on how much people know about it. After hearing its key features described many people initially inclined to view it negatively move into the favorable column.

Midterm Election Challenges for Both Parties Friday, February 12, 2010
According to a new survey, nine months ahead of the midterm elections, voters have conflicted attitudes about both political parties. Opinions of the Republican Party have improved significantly, and for the first time in years the GOP’s favorable ratings nearly equal the Democratic Party’s. Voting intentions for the fall elections also remain closely divided. However, the Democratic Party is still better regarded in many respects than is the GOP and far more people continue to blame the Republicans than the Democrats for the current state of the economy. And despite frustrations with his stewardship of the economy, bottom-line opinions of Barack Obama have not changed in the past few months. This survey was conducted Feb. 3-9, 2010 by PSRAI for the Pew Research Center among 1,383 adults.

Americans Become More Supportive of Health Reform When Told About Key Provisions Friday, January 22, 2010
A new poll, conducted before the Massachusetts Senate vote, finds opinion is divided when it comes to the hotly debated legislation, with 42 percent supporting the proposals in the Congress, 41 percent opposing them and 16 percent withholding judgment. However, majorities reported feeling more favorable toward the proposed legislation after learning about many of the key elements, with the notable exceptions of the individual mandate and the overall price tag. Click the above link to get more details.

Haiti Dominates Public's Consciousness Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Fully 70% say it is the story they are talking about with friends. Overall interest in news about the earthquake in Haiti is on par with interest in the tsunami that struck the Indian Ocean in December 2004. Fully 60% say they followed news about the earthquake very closely; about the same percentage (58%) said they followed news about the tsunami in the Indian Ocean very closely in January 2005. Somewhat more people paid very close attention to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 (70%). Click the link above to get more details.

Blacks Upbeat about Black Progress, Prospects Thursday, January 14, 2010
Despite the bad economy, blacks'' assessments about the state of black progress in America have improved more dramatically during the past two years than at any time in the past quarter century, according to a comprehensive new nationwide Pew Research Center survey on race. Barack Obama''s election as the nation''s first black president appears to be the spur for this sharp rise in optimism among African Americans. It may also be reflected in an upbeat set of black views on a range of other matters, including race relations, local community satisfaction and expectations for future black progress. This survey was conducted Oct. 28 to Nov. 30, 2009 by PSRAI for the Pew Research Center among 2,884 adults, including 812 blacks.

Current Decade Rates as Worst in 50 Years Monday, December 21, 2009
According to a new survey, as the current decade draws to a close, relatively few Americans have positive things to say about it. By roughly two-to-one, more say they have a generally negative (50%) rather than a generally positive (27%) impression of the past 10 years. This stands in stark contrast to the public’s recollection of other decades in the past half-century. When asked to look back on the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, positive feelings outweigh negative in all cases. This survey was conducted December 9-13, 2009 by PSRAI for the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press among 1,504 adults.

Kaiser Health Tracking Poll - December 2009 Friday, December 18, 2009
A new survey finds a dip on several measures of public opinion on health care reform. The number of Americans who say they personally will be better off if reform passes fell to 35 percent in December, down from 42 percent last month. Meanwhile, 27 percent say they will be worse off, and 32 percent said they don’t expect to see much of a difference. Similarly, 45 percent say the country would be better off if health care reform passes down from 54 percent in November. This compares to 31 percent who say the country will be worse off and 17 percent who see no impact.

Mixed Views of Obama at Year's End Wednesday, December 16, 2009
According to a new survey, public opinion about President Barack Obama and his major polices continues to be divided as the year comes to a close. His overall approval rating is 49%, which is largely unchanged from November (51%). However, the percentage expressing at least a fair amount of confidence in Obama to do the right thing when it comes to fixing the economy has slipped from 59% in October to 52% currently. Smaller percentages express confidence in Obama on health care reform (44%) and reducing the budget deficit (41%). This survey was conducted Dec. 9-13 by PSRAI for the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press among 1,504 adults.

Teens and Sexting Tuesday, December 15, 2009
According to a new survey, as texting has become a centerpiece in teen social life, parents, educators and advocates have grown increasingly concerned about the role of cell phones in the sexual lives of teens and young adults. The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project found that 4% of cell-owning teens ages 12-17 say they have sent sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude images or videos of themselves to someone else via text messaging, a practice also known as “sexting”; 15% say they have received such images of someone they know via text message. This survey was conducted June 26 and September 24, 2009 by PSRAI for the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project among 800 teens ages 12-17 and a parent or guardian

America's Place in the World Thursday, December 03, 2009
As President Obama seeks to expand America’s global role on issues ranging from Afghanistan to climate change, the U.S. public is turning decidedly inward. For the first time in more than 40 years of polling, a plurality (49%) says the United States should “mind its own business internationally” and let other countries get along the best they can on their own.

Kaiser November Tracking Poll Tuesday, November 24, 2009
A new poll shows little movement in measures of public opinion about health reform from recent months. Among the new findings is a ranking of the public''s top priorities from among a list of elements of the legislation. There were both similarities and differences in priorities across partisan groups: while assuring the availability of affordable plans ranked in the top three priorities for Democrats, Republicans and independents, deficit neutrality ranked in the top three priorities for Republicans and independents and providing enough government financial help so as many uninsured people as possible can get health insurance ranked in the top three for Democrats. Creating a public option ranked near the bottom of this list among all three groups. Even so, when asked if they favor or oppose having a public plan to compete with private insurers, a substantial a majority of Americans (59%) say they support the idea.

Abortion Plays Small Role in Health Reform Opposition Thursday, November 19, 2009
While most Americans oppose government funding of abortion, a new survey finds that concern about abortion funding plays only a small role in driving opposition to the health care reform legislation under consideration by Congress. When health care opponents are asked in an open-ended question to describe their main reason for opposing the congressional proposals, just 3% raise the issue of abortion funding. This survey was conducted November 12-15 among 1,003 adults by PSRAI for the Pew Research Center and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

Views on the U.S. Role in Global Health Update Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Kaiser Family Foundation Survey on the U.S. Role in Global Health Update builds on the Foundation''s previous survey work in measuring Americans'' attitudes toward U.S. global health investments and priorities. The survey tracks some questions that were asked earlier in 2009, and delves into some new questions about specific areas of global health spending and how aid should be distributed. Following President Obama''s announcement of the Global Health Initiative, the survey also measures public perception of the current Administration and Congress with regards to global health efforts. As we found in March, the public continues to support maintaining or increasing spending on global health. Despite the continuing economic recession, two-thirds say the U.S. is spending too little (34 percent) or about the right amount (32 percent) on efforts to improve health for people in developing countries, while just a quarter say we are currently spending too much in this area. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Social Isolation and New Technology Wednesday, November 04, 2009
This Pew Internet Personal Networks and Community survey finds that Americans are not as isolated as has been previously reported. People''s use of the mobile phone and the internet is associated with larger and more diverse discussion networks. And, when we examine people''s full personal network - their strong and weak ties - internet use in general and use of social networking services such as Facebook in particular are associated with more diverse social networks. This survey was conducted July 9, 2008 and August 10, 2008 by PSRAI for the Pew Internet & American Life Project among 2,512 adults. To view more from this survey, Click here.

End of Communism Cheered but Now with More Reservations Monday, November 02, 2009
According to a new poll, nearly two decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, publics of former Iron Curtain countries generally look back approvingly at the collapse of communism. Majorities of people in most former Soviet republics and Eastern European countries endorse the emergence of multiparty systems and a free market economy. This survey was conducted Aug. 27 to Sept. 24, 2009 by PSRAI for the Pew Research Center among 14,760 adults in Britain, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine and the United States. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Americans Plan to Work During Retirement Wednesday, October 07, 2009
According to a new survey, three-quarters of American workers expect to work throughout retirement. Four in 10 (39%) say it's because they like to work, and one third (32%) say they plan to work because they'll need the money. Interestingly, only 15 percent of today's retirees actually work to supplement their income. To view more from this survey, click here.

CR poll: Many Americans are unsure about getting the swine flu vaccine Monday, October 05, 2009
A majority of U.S. adults say they are either reluctant or unsure about whether they or their children will get vaccinated for the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu. And more than half of the people at high risk for flu complications don't realize they are, according to a nationally representative survey of 1,502 adults conducted by the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center in the first week of September. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Contrary to what marketers say, Americans Reject Tailored Advertising Friday, October 02, 2009
According to a new survey, contrary to what many marketers claim, most adult Americans (66%) do not want marketers to tailor advertisements to their interests. Moreover, when Americans are informed of three common ways that marketers gather data about people in order to tailor ads, even higher percentages--between 73% and 86%--say they would not want such advertising. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Kaiser Health Tracking Poll - September 2009 Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The September Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds that public support for health reform ended its summer slide, reversed course and moved modestly upwards in September. The survey also finds initial majority support for taxing expensive health plans and imposing fees on insurers to pay for reform. Fifty-seven percent of Americans now believe that tackling health care reform is more important than ever - up from 53 percent in August. The proportion of Americans who think their families would be better off if health reform passes is up six percentage points (42% versus 36% in August), and the percentage who think that the country would be better off is up eight points (to 53% from 45% in August). To view more from this survey, Click here.

Minnesota Poll: Hints of optimism about economy, personal finances Monday, September 28, 2009
Minnesotans are feeling slightly better about the economy and their finances. But many are still feeling the effects of the recession in their day-to-day lives, according to a Star Tribune Minnesota Poll. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Obama Approval Ratings Steady, Personal Image Remains Positive Thursday, September 17, 2009
According to a new survey, following his nationally televised address to Congress, opinion of President Barack Obama has taken a more favorable turn. Obamas job approval ratings, which had declined in the summer, have remained essentially unchanged over the past month. And the balance of opinion regarding the health care reform proposals before Congress has become a bit more positive than it was in late August, though the public is about evenly divided over those proposals. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Press Accuracy Rating Hits Two Decade Low Sunday, September 13, 2009
The public's assessment of the accuracy of news stories is now at its lowest level in more than two decades of Pew Research surveys, and Americans' views of media bias and independence now match previous lows. According to a new survey, just 29% of Americans say that news organizations generally get the facts straight, while 63% say that news stories are often inaccurate. In the initial survey in this series about the news media's performance in 1985, 55% said news stories were accurate while 34% said they were inaccurate. That percentage had fallen sharply by the late 1990s and has remained low over the last decade. To view more from this survey, Click here.

The Internet as a Diversion Thursday, September 10, 2009
Three-quarters of online economic users--those Americans who use the internet to keep up with news about the economic recession or their own personal finances--go online to relax and take their minds off of the recession, according to an April 2009 survey by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. Listening to music and watching online videos are among the most common of the activities we evaluated; roughly half of all online economic users have done each of these activities to relax. Approximately one-third of online economic users have played online games or chatted with friends (on a social networking site, listserv or other online group), while an additional 22% have taken their minds off of their economic or financial circumstances by creating or posting content online. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Congressional Favorability at 24-Year Low Wednesday, September 02, 2009
According to a new survey, Americans are extremely displeased with Congress, and there are already some signs that this could take a toll on the Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections. Currently, 37% express a favorable opinion of Congress, while 52% hold an unfavorable view. At the same time, intentions to vote Democratic in the next midterm election are markedly lower than they have been over the past four years. To view more from this survey, click here.

The Internet and Civic Engagement Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Political and civic involvement have long been dominated by those with high levels of income and education, leading some advocates to hope that internet-based engagement might alter this pattern. However, a new report by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project shows that the internet is not changing the fundamental socio-economic character of civic engagement in America. When it comes to online activities such as contributing money, contacting a government official or signing an online petition, the wealthy and well-educated continue to lead the way. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Kaiser Health Tracking Poll August 2009 Thursday, August 20, 2009
A slim majority of Americans continues to favor moving forward on health care reform now despite an intensifying ad war and a political climate of contentious town hall meetings that coincide with rising concerns about the reform effort, according to the August Kaiser Health Tracking Poll. Fifty-three percent of the public believes that tackling health reform is more important than ever, compared to 42 percent who say we cannot afford to take on health care reform right now. The gap between those points of view has narrowed in recent months as criticisms and doubts about reform plans seem to be registering. Sixty three percent of the public say they are "hopeful" about reform, 41 percent are "afraid" and 46 percent are simply "confused". To view more from this survey, Click here.

More See White House and GOP Leaders at Odds Wednesday, August 19, 2009
According to a new survey, Americans are in an increasingly sour mood about Washington. Barack Obama's approval ratings continue to inch downward and a growing proportion of Americans (63%) think that the president and Republican leaders are not working together to deal with important issues facing the nation; in June, 50% said the two sides were not cooperating. While more people continue to blame Republican leaders than blame Obama, the percentage saying the president is at fault (17%) is higher now than in June (12%) and much higher than in February (7%). To view more from this survey, Click here.

Forty Years After Woodstock, A Gentler Generation Gap Wednesday, August 12, 2009
According to a new survey, forty years after the Woodstock music festival glorified and exacerbated the generational fractures in American life, the public today says there are big differences between younger and older adults in their values, use of technology, work ethic, and respect and tolerance for others. But this modern generation gap is a much more subdued affair than the one that raged in the 1960s, for relatively few Americans of any age see it as a source of conflict -- either in society at large or in their own families. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Budget Woes Take Toll on Views of State Governments Tuesday, August 11, 2009
According to a new survey, with the economy wreaking havoc on state budgets, the favorability ratings of state governments have declined from a year ago. Overall, 50% of the public now holds a favorable opinion of their state government, down from 59% in April 2008. The falloff in positive views has been greater in states with large and moderate budget shortfalls than in states with smaller budget gaps. As positive ratings of state governments have declined, peoples ratings of their local governments have remained relatively stable. By nearly a two-to-one margin, Americans express a favorable opinion of their local governments (60% favorable, 32% unfavorable), which is largely unchanged from April 2008 (63% favorable). To view more from this survey, Click here.

Health Care Front-And-Center on Public's News Agenda Thursday, July 30, 2009
According to a new survey, the public sharpened its focus on health care reform last week, following news about the debate in Washington more closely than any other story. Interest in health care reform has steadily increased in recent weeks as coverage -including a prime-time presidential news conference - has intensified. Nearly a third (31%) name the debate in Washington over health care reform as their top story, more than the share who cite the economy (19%) or the arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. (17%). In addition, the latest weekly News Interest Index survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, finds that more than four-in-ten (44%) say they followed health care news very closely, up from 33% in the previous week and 24% two weeks prior. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Kaiser Health Tracking Poll -- July 2009 Thursday, July 23, 2009
While Congress works through specific health reform proposals, the July Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds a majority of the public remains supportive of taking action on health reform now, though there is some softening of support as criticisms and doubts seem to be registering. As has been the case over the past ten months, a majority of the American people (56%) continue to believe that health reform is more important than ever despite the country's economic problems, and the public believes by a two to one margin (51% versus 23%) that the country will be better rather than worse off if Congress and the president enact health reform. More Americans think they and their family will be better off (39%) than worse off (21%) if legislation passes, with roughly a third (32%) believing it will make no difference for them or their family. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Wireless Internet Use Wednesday, July 22, 2009
An April 2009 survey by the Pew Research Centers Internet & American Life Project shows that 56% of adult Americans have accessed the internet by wireless means, such as using a laptop, mobile device, game console, or MP3 player. The most prevalent way people get online using a wireless network is with a laptop computer; 39% of adults have done this. To view more from this survey, Click here.

The Internet and the Recession Wednesday, July 15, 2009
According to a new survey, some 69% of all Americans have used the internet to cope with the recession as they hunt for bargains, jobs, ways to upgrade their skills, better investment strategies, housing options, and government benefits. That amounts to 88% of internet users. The internet ranks high among sources of information and advice that people are seeking during hard times, especially when it comes to their personal finances and economic circumstances. Broadband users are particularly likely to use the internet more than some other sources. At the same time, broadcast media outpace the internet as sources of news about national economics and broadcast sources still overshadow the internet among all Americans for information and advice related to their personal financial circumstances. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Public Praises Science; Scientists Fault Public, Media Thursday, July 09, 2009
According to a new survey, Americans like science. Overwhelming majorities say that science has had a positive effect on society and that science has made life easier for most people. Most also say that government investments in science, as well as engineering and technology, pay off in the long run. And scientists are very highly rated compared with members of other professions: Only members of the military and teachers are more likely to be viewed as contributing a lot to society's well-being. To view more from this survey, Click here.

Newly Licensed Registered Nurses Study Friday, June 26, 2009
The Newly Licensed Registered Nurses Study is a national study following the career changes among a cohort of registered nurses (RNs) who obtained their first license to practice as RNs between August 1, 2004 and July 31, 2005. With funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation until 2016, we have the unique opportunity to study RN work careers for 10 years. Understanding the needs and challenges of newly licensed nurses is a priority to meet the goal of balancing the supply of and demand for RNs. This study aims to examine the work settings of newly licensed registered nurses (NLRNs) to learn what influences their employment choices. To learn more about this project, click here.

Obama's Ratings Still High Despite Policy Concerns & Public More Optimistic About the Economy, But Still Reluctant to Spend Thursday, June 18, 2009
A solid majority of Americans (61%) continue to approve of Barack Obama's job performance, although they express mixed views of several of his policies. An important positive sign for Obama is the public's continued optimism that his policies will improve the economy - fully 65% express this view. A smaller majority (55%) is optimistic Obama will reduce the budget deficit over the long-term. Nonetheless, Obama's job approval on the economy has declined from 60% in April to 52% currently. To view more from this survey, click here. Turning to the economy, the public is increasingly optimistic that the nation's economy will improve in the next year, while a growing number also expect their personal finances to get better. But this has not caused people to open their wallets: The proportion saying they have cut back on personal spending remains as high as it was earlier this year. Nearly half of Americans (48%) say they expect economic conditions a year from now to be better than today, up from 40% in February. Over the same period, the percentage saying they expect their personal finances to improve at least some has risen from 54% to 63%. To view more from this section of the survey, click here.

Kaiser Health Tracking Poll - June 2009 Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The June Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds remarkable stability in public opinion on health reform as Congressional committees begin to hone in on the details of their health reform bills and debate intensifies. A solid majority of the American people continue to believe that health reform is more important than ever given the country's economic problems. To view more from this survey, click here.

Americans Feel Secure in Their Jobs Despite Rises in Joblessness Friday, June 05, 2009
A new survey shows that although two out of three Americans polled know someone who has been laid off, eight out of ten (79%) feel "very" or "somewhat" secure in their own jobs. Though older workers feel more insecure about their job with 32 percent of workers over 50 saying they feel "insecure" about their position compared to 13 percent of workers under age 34, they may be less at risk of losing their jobs. The poll reveals that in spite of the older workers' increased concerns, middle-aged employees have been on the receiving end of pink slips most often, with 16 percent of workers between 35 and 49 having been laid off in the past year compared to only 12 percent of workers between 50 and 64. To view more from this survey, click here.

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