Key Takeaways
As Senate committee hearings start for President Donald Trump’s nominees for key well being positions, the most recent KFF Monitoring Ballot on Well being Info and Belief finds that public belief in authorities well being companies has fallen over the previous 18 months, persevering with a decline that started in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The share who says they belief the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management (CDC) “an awesome deal” or “a good quantity” to make the fitting suggestions on well being dropped barely from 66% in June 2023 to 61% now, whereas belief within the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) and state and native public well being officers every dropped by double digits (from 65% to 53% and 64% to 54%, respectively). Particular person medical doctors stay essentially the most trusted supply of well being info, though the share saying they belief their very own physician “an awesome deal” or “a good quantity” to make the fitting well being suggestions additionally declined from 93% to 85% over the identical interval.
Partisan variations in belief in authorities well being companies that emerged in the course of the pandemic stay, as Democrats are about 30 proportion factors extra seemingly than Republicans to say they belief the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS) to make the fitting suggestions on well being (73% vs. 42%), with related partisan gaps in belief for companies that fall underneath HHS together with CDC, the FDA, the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Companies (CMS), and scientists working for the Nationwide Institutes of Well being (NIH). The other sample is true with regards to belief in President Trump’s picks to run a few of these companies. General, about 4 in ten say they belief President Trump (42%), Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (43%), and Dr. Mehmet Oz (43%) “an awesome deal” or “a good quantity” to make the fitting suggestions with regards to well being. This contains few Democrats (7%, 7%, and 14% respectively) in comparison with about eight in ten Republicans. The truth is, related shares of Republicans say they belief President Trump (84%), Dr. Oz (83%), and RFK Jr. (81%) as say they belief their very own medical doctors (84%) to make the fitting suggestions on well being points.
Whereas massive shares of the general public proceed to precise constructive attitudes towards childhood vaccines and college vaccination necessities, some tendencies counsel the extent of assist could also be eroding considerably amongst Republicans and fogeys. About eight in ten (82%) mother and father say they usually preserve their youngsters updated with advisable childhood vaccines just like the MMR, whereas about one in six (17%) report delaying or skipping some pictures, up from 10% in 2023. The change is most pronounced amongst Republican and Republican-leaning mother and father, about one in 4 (26%) of whom now report skipping or delaying some vaccines for his or her youngsters, up from 13% in 2023.
The false declare that the MMR vaccines have been confirmed to trigger autism continues to persist, with most adults – together with mother and father – falling within the “malleable center,” expressing some degree of uncertainty about whether or not this declare is true or false. Dad and mom who imagine or are open to believing the falsehood that the MMR vaccines have been confirmed to trigger autism are about 4 instances extra seemingly as those that say this delusion is “positively” or “in all probability false” to report delaying or skipping vaccines for his or her youngsters (37% vs. 8%).
Regardless of some shifts in total vaccine attitudes, the most recent KFF Monitoring Ballot on Well being Info and Belief finds robust assist for public college vaccine necessities. Eight in ten (83%) U.S. adults say public faculties ought to require some vaccines for college kids, permitting for well being and spiritual exceptions, together with massive majorities of Democrats (93%), independents (85%), and Republicans (75%). On the identical time, a lot of the general public is confused in regards to the federal authorities’s position at school vaccine necessities, with a couple of third appropriately answering that the federal authorities makes suggestions for which vaccines faculties ought to require. The rest both incorrectly imagine the federal authorities units these necessities or say they don’t seem to be positive.
Past childhood vaccines, myths about COVID-19 vaccines proceed to persist and could also be changing into entrenched amongst some Republicans. 4 in ten Republicans now say it’s “in all probability” or “positively true” that “extra individuals have died from COVID-19 vaccines than from the virus itself,” up from one quarter in 2023. The truth is, the COVID-19 vaccine has been estimated to have prevented tens of millions of hospitalizations and deaths within the U.S. alone.
When requested in regards to the H5N1 hen flu within the U.S., most adults are usually not involved about themselves or a member of the family getting sick, although 44% are “very” or “considerably involved” there will probably be a widespread outbreak within the U.S. Trying towards the long run, 4 in ten adults say that in comparison with 2020, the U.S. authorities is now extra ready to cope with one other pandemic or widespread well being disaster, whereas about one in 4 (26%) say the U.S. is much less ready, and one-third (34%) say it’s simply as ready because it was. Comparable shares of adults throughout partisanship, age, race, and ethnicity say the federal government is extra ready than it was earlier than.
Public Belief in Key Well being Businesses Has Declined
At first of President Trump’s second presidential time period, the general public is split alongside partisan strains of their belief in key authorities well being companies. Over the previous a number of months, President Trump and his political allies have publicly challenged these health-related companies and mentioned slicing a few of their funding as a part of an effort geared toward rising authorities effectivity.
Belief in U.S. authorities well being companies declined in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, most notably following the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines. KFF monitoring polls between 2020 and 2022 confirmed declining belief, particularly amongst Republicans, within the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management (CDC), the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA), native public well being departments, and Dr. Anthony Fauci as sources of dependable info on COVID-19 and the vaccines. The newest KFF Monitoring Ballot on Well being Info and Belief finds that with regards to well being info extra typically, belief within the FDA, CDC, and state and native public well being officers stays partisan and has continued to say no. The share who says they belief the CDC “an awesome deal” or “truthful quantity” has fallen barely total (from 66% in June 2023 to 61% within the newest ballot), pushed by a nine-percentage level drop amongst Republicans (from 48% to 39%). The general public’s belief of the FDA to make the fitting suggestions on well being has additionally fallen (from 65% to 53%), as has belief in state and native public well being officers (from 64% to 54%), together with related decreases amongst Republicans, Democrats, and independents.
Whereas massive shares of adults proceed to belief their very own medical doctors to make the fitting suggestions with regards to well being points, this share additionally decreased from June 2023 by eight proportion factors total (from 93% to 85%), pushed by a drop amongst Republicans (from 94% to 84%) and independents (93% to 84%). Docs proceed to be essentially the most trusted supply of well being info, however this lower in belief might mirror a pattern of declining belief in professions throughout industries.
Regardless of some declining belief in authorities well being companies, two-thirds of adults say they belief scientists on the Nationwide Institutes of Well being (NIH) (66%) to make the fitting suggestions on well being, and about six in ten belief the CDC (61%). Barely greater than half say they belief the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS) (55%), the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Companies (CMS) (54%), their state and native public well being officers (54%), and the FDA (53%) with regards to well being suggestions. Fewer – about 4 in ten – say they belief President Trump (42%) and his decisions for key health-related positions, together with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the nominee for Secretary of HHS (43%), and Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Trump’s alternative to steer CMS (43%).
Notably, fewer than one in 4 U.S. adults say they belief any of those authorities companies or people “an awesome deal” with regards to making well being suggestions.
Aside from particular person medical doctors, who garner belief from a big majority of Democrats, independents, and Republicans, there are stark partisan variations in belief in authorities companies and people on well being points. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to precise belief in authorities establishments and federal companies, together with HHS (73% vs 42%), CMS (75% vs 38%), CDC (85% vs. 39%), and the FDA (71% vs. 39%). Alternatively, a lot bigger shares of Republicans in comparison with Democrats say they belief President Trump and his well being care nominees to supervise these companies. Whereas few Democrats belief President Trump or his nominees, related shares of Republicans say they belief President Trump (84%), Dr. Oz (83%), and RFK Jr. (81%) because the shares that say they belief their very own medical doctors (84%) to make the fitting suggestions on well being points.
Shifting Attitudes Towards Childhood Vaccines, Notably Amongst Republican Dad and mom
Whereas massive shares of the general public proceed to precise constructive attitudes towards childhood vaccines and college vaccination necessities, some tendencies within the newest KFF Monitoring Ballot on Well being Info and Belief counsel that assist could also be eroding considerably amongst Republicans and fogeys. Within the newest ballot, about eight in ten (82%) mother and father say they usually preserve their baby updated with advisable childhood vaccines just like the MMR, whereas about one in six (17%) report delaying or skipping some pictures. This marks a slight change from KFF polls fielded from 2021 to 2023, when about 9 in ten mother and father constantly reported staying on schedule. The share of oldsters who report skipping or delaying some vaccines has elevated by seven proportion factors since September 2023, pushed largely by Republican-leaning mother and father. Now, about one in 4 (26%) Republican and Republican-leaning mother and father report vaccine delays for his or her youngsters, about twice the 13% who mentioned the identical in 2023. The rise in reported vaccination delays amongst Republican mother and father mirrors a rising partisan divide on attitudes towards childhood vaccinations among the many common public, and is in keeping with a KFF evaluation of knowledge from the CDC that discovered that oldsters are more and more looking for non-medical exemptions from college vaccine necessities.
A lot of the public continues to imagine that the advantages of childhood vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) outweigh the dangers, although this share has declined since 2019. At the moment, eight in ten adults say, “The advantages of childhood vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) outweigh the dangers,” whereas about one in 5 (18%) say the dangers of those vaccines “outweigh the advantages.”
Whereas massive shares of adults proceed to say the advantages outweigh the dangers, there was a widening partisan hole on this query. Constantly since 2019, about 9 in ten Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say the advantages of MMR vaccines outweigh the dangers, whereas Republicans and Republican-leaning independents at the moment are 15 proportion factors much less seemingly than in 2019 to share this view (74% now vs. 89% in 2019).
Amongst mother and father of kids underneath age 18, the big majority say the advantages of the MMR vaccine outweigh the dangers, however one in 4 now say the dangers outweigh the advantages, up from 17% in 2022. Like the general public total, mother and father are divided alongside partisan strains when weighing the dangers and advantages of childhood vaccines. Republican and Republican-leaning mother and father are about twice as seemingly as Democratic and Democratic-leaning mother and father to say, “the dangers of childhood vaccines for MMR outweigh the advantages” (15% vs. 33%).
Most Dad and mom are Unsure About MMR Autism Fable
Amid shifting attitudes towards childhood vaccines, many adults – together with mother and father – proceed to report listening to myths that MMR vaccines are linked to autism, and lots of are unsure about whether or not to imagine this false declare. About two-thirds (63%) of adults total and fogeys (67%) say they’ve heard the false declare that the MMR vaccines have been confirmed to trigger autism in youngsters, a declare that started with a since-retracted examine within the Nineteen Nineties and has not too long ago been related to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The share reporting they’ve heard this declare stays unchanged since 2023.
As earlier KFF polls have discovered with regards to well being misinformation on a variety of subjects, many adults fall within the “malleable center,” expressing some degree of uncertainty about this false well being declare. Simply three % of adults say it’s “positively true” that the MMR vaccines have been confirmed to trigger autism in youngsters. A bigger share (20%) is open to believing the parable, saying it’s “in all probability true,” whereas many lean towards the proper reply however nonetheless specific uncertainty, saying the declare is “in all probability false” (41%). One-third of adults say it’s “positively false.” Most Republicans and independents fall into this malleable center class, with substantial shares saying the declare is “in all probability false,” whereas half of Democrats say this declare is “positively false.” Notably, nearly one in ten mother and father who establish or lean Republican (11%) say this declare is “positively false.”
Perception within the delusion that the MMR vaccine causes autism is correlated with mother and father’ selections about their youngsters’s vaccinations. Amongst mother and father who say it’s “in all probability” or “positively” true that the MMR vaccines have been confirmed to trigger autism, practically 4 in ten (37%) say they’ve delayed or skipped some childhood vaccines for his or her youngsters, in comparison with simply eight % of oldsters who say this delusion is “in all probability” or “positively” false.
COVID-19 Vaccine Myths Persist
Within the 5 years because the begin of the COVID-19 pandemic, myths associated to the virus and the vaccine persist. First explored within the KFF Well being Misinformation Monitoring Ballot, myths associated to COVID-19 are widespread, and lots of adults are usually not assured in assessing their validity. The newest ballot finds that just about half (46%) of adults report listening to the falsehood that “extra individuals have died from the COVID-19 vaccines than have died from the COVID-19 virus.” This share has elevated barely from about 4 in ten (41%) in 2023, pushed by a big improve amongst Republicans. About half (52%) of Republicans say they’ve heard or learn this false declare, up from about one in three (35%) in June 2023. Barely greater than 4 in ten Democrats reported listening to this delusion in every ballot.
Few adults (8%) say the false declare that “extra individuals have died from COVID-19 vaccines than have died from the COVID-19 virus” is “positively true,” however ranges of certainty fluctuate extensively by partisanship, and an rising share of Republicans is open to endorsing this false declare. About 4 in ten adults (43%) acknowledge this declare as “positively false,” together with one in 5 Republicans (20%) and greater than thrice as many Democrats (65%). Whereas most Republicans lean towards this declare being false, 4 in ten say it’s “positively true” (13%) or “in all probability true” (27%), a rise from one in 4 in June 2023, when 7% of Republicans mentioned this was “positively true” and 18% mentioned it was “in all probability true.”
Views of Faculty Vaccine Necessities
Regardless of some shifts in total vaccine attitudes, the most recent KFF Monitoring Ballot on Well being Info and Belief finds robust assist for public college vaccine necessities. Eight in ten (83%) U.S. adults say public faculties ought to require some vaccines for college kids, permitting for well being and spiritual exceptions, together with massive majorities of Democrats (93%), independents (85%) and Republicans (75%). One in six adults say public faculties shouldn’t require any vaccinations, rising to at least one in 4 Republicans. Like most of the people, mother and father are divided on this situation alongside partisan strains. Three in 4 (75%) mother and father total say public faculties ought to have some vaccine necessities, whereas one in 4 say public faculties shouldn’t have any vaccine necessities, rising to at least one in three Republican or Republican-leaning mother and father (34%). The overwhelming majority of Democratic-leaning mother and father (93%) say public faculties ought to require some vaccines.
Though President Trump mentioned on the marketing campaign path that he would reduce federal funding to colleges with vaccine mandates, a beforehand launched report from this KFF survey discovered that few adults throughout partisans say this needs to be a precedence for the Trump administration.
The Function of the Federal Authorities in Faculty Vaccine Necessities
Regardless of robust assist for varsity vaccine mandates, there are gaps in what the general public understands in regards to the position of the federal authorities on this enviornment. The general public is break up, with about one-third of adults conscious the federal authorities makes suggestions for which vaccines school-age youngsters ought to obtain (36%), one-third incorrectly saying that the federal authorities presently units necessities for which vaccines school-age youngsters get (35%), and about three in ten uncertain (28%). Dad and mom and adults throughout partisans are equally divided of their information of the federal authorities’s position in offering vaccine suggestions for kids.
Whereas many are uncertain in regards to the federal authorities’s position in vaccine suggestions, a big majority of the general public belief the CDC “an awesome deal” (30%) or “a good quantity” (39%) to make suggestions about childhood vaccines. As is the case with belief in authorities well being companies typically, partisans differ in how a lot they belief the CDC to make these suggestions, with practically 9 in ten Democrats saying they belief the CDC “an awesome deal” or “a good quantity” (87%) on this space, in comparison with simply over half (54%) of Republicans.
Pandemic Preparedness and Avian Flu
The COVID-19 pandemic illustrated the challenges that may come up when public well being companies are required to speak quickly evolving scientific info to a sometimes-skeptical public. Declining belief in authorities and well being companies, a pattern that started in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and that this ballot signifies is continuous immediately, means that these communication challenges are prone to proceed and maybe intensify the subsequent time the U.S. is confronted with a pandemic or widespread well being disaster. Regardless of declining belief, bigger shares of the general public throughout partisans say the federal government is extra ready fairly than much less ready for one more pandemic than it was 5 years in the past. 4 in ten adults say that in comparison with 2020, the U.S. authorities is now extra ready to cope with one other pandemic or widespread well being disaster, whereas about one in 4 (26%) say the U.S. is much less ready and one-third (34%) say it’s simply as ready because it was. Comparable shares of adults throughout partisanship, age, race, and ethnicity say the federal government is extra ready than it was earlier than.
Because the spring of 2024, H5N1 avian influenza has impacted individuals and animals within the U.S. and Canada. On the time of this survey, CDC indicated the present public well being danger of hen flu is low. Though there have been some circumstances of individuals contaminated with hen flu, there has but to be human-to-human transmission. As of early January 2025, about half (49%) of the general public has heard at the very least “some” about current human circumstances of hen flu within the U.S., together with one in ten (11%) who has heard “quite a bit.” One-third (33%) of adults has heard “a little bit” and one in 5 (18%) has heard “nothing in any respect.” Consciousness is low throughout most demographic teams, although Democrats and people ages 65 and over are amongst these most certainly to say they’ve heard “quite a bit” (15% and 17%, respectively).
Forty-four % of U.S. adults are “very” or “considerably involved” that there will probably be a widespread outbreak of hen flu within the U.S., whereas fewer (34%) say they’re involved that they or a member of the family will get sick. Whereas most adults are usually not involved about hen flu, majorities of Hispanic adults (64%), Democrats (58%), and adults in decrease revenue households (54%) specific concern a couple of widespread outbreak of hen flu. Every of those teams can also be extra seemingly than their counterparts to be involved that they and their households will get sick.
