The majority of Americans believe they and their communities are benefiting from public health, while almost half of Americans believe preventing disease and disability should be among the nation’s top priorities, according to a new poll.

Released during APHA’s 132nd Annual Meeting in November in Washington, D.C., the national poll surveyed Americans’ attitudes toward public health, yielding results that show health care continues to be a top concern. The poll, conducted just before the Nov. 2 elections, was released jointly by APHA and Research!America. 

“I think the most important and most exciting finding here is that the public realizes it benefits from public health,” said Georges Benjamin, MD, FACP, APHA’s executive director, during a news conference releasing the poll. “As health professionals, we have long known the important role that public health plays, but it is gratifying to know that the public recognizes that as well. This is exactly the sort of information that we can use as we reach out to our legislators and policy-makers and advocate for public health.”

One contributing factor to public health’s favorable image is that more than half of Americans surveyed said they know someone working in the field.

“When you know someone involved in public health…you’re more likely to support public health,” Benjamin noted.

The survey, conducted via telephone by Harris Interactive from Oct. 1–4, polled 1,064 adults ages 18 and older.

When given a list of specific public health services, most of those surveyed agreed that their communities were benefiting. For example, 83 percent agreed that their community benefited from childhood vaccination programs, 81 percent saw the benefit of restaurant safety and sanitation inspections, 79 percent realized the benefit of drinking water inspections and 72 percent said their communities yielded benefits from day care safety and health inspections. Other public health services that are seen as benefits, according to a majority of those surveyed, were sexual assault hotlines, family planning and counseling services, HIV/AIDS testing, disease outbreak investigations, infant safety seat installation programs and bioterrorism prevention. 

But although most Americans understand the benefits of public health work, most don’t know where disease, disability and injury prevention research or health promotion research is conducted. According to the poll, 33 percent don’t know which agencies or organizations carry out such research, 15 percent believe it’s conducted through the American Cancer Society, 13 percent named the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9 percent named the American Heart Association and 5 percent said the National Institutes of Health.

Mary Woolley, president of Research!America, noted that the public’s appreciation of public health also presents an opportunity for the research community to make themselves more visible to the public.

“This is an opportunity to spread the word,” Woolley said during the November news conference.

Those surveyed were also asked what their national priorities would be if they had the opportunity to speak with the president. Almost three-quarters said education would be their high priority, 65 percent said creating jobs, 64 percent cited preserving Social Security and 63 percent said national defense. However, research to prevent disease, disability and injury would be a top priority for almost half of those polled. Priorities ranking below disease prevention were reducing the federal deficit, tax cuts and promoting democracy around the world. Benjamin noted that it’s important for public policy leaders to understand how highly Americans value the benefits of public health and health research.

On more specific issues, poll participants were asked what they believed are the main factors in determining the quality of health care an individual receives. Sixty-five percent answered access to health insurance, 46 percent said employment status, 44 percent cited income, 37 percent answered age and 33 percent said geographic location. And even though numerous studies have found that a person’s race or ethnicity has a substantial impact on the quality of their health care, only 29 percent of those polled tapped race and ethnicity as a top indicator. Eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities is a top priority for APHA.

“(Americans) want to believe that race and ethnicity aren’t a factor anymore, but they are,” Woolley said. “Coming to terms with that is an issue.” 
  
The survey also polled Americans on some more controversial health topics. With millions of dollars in federal money going to fund abstinence-only, faith-based sex education programs, the poll asked Americans if they believe such programs actually prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy. The majority of respondents, 56 percent, said the programs don’t prevent such occurrences, while 39 percent said they do.

“The science is with the public,” Benjamin said, referring to the lack of evidence showing abstinence-only programs to be effective. “Sex education is not a ‘one-size fits all’ thing.”

Poll participants were also asked how important it is to invest in research aimed at improving air, water and food quality as well as preserving and protecting the environment. Sixty-four percent said such investment is “very” important while 30 percent said it is “somewhat” important. Related to that, 77 percent of those polled said they would support government regulations that required industries to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. 

“Public health and the research that supports it enriches and improves everyone’s quality of life,” Woolley said. “While it’s clear Americans see the benefits, many aren’t aware of how those benefits are created, delivered and maintained.”

An earlier poll conducted for Research!America and Parade magazine and published in March, also found that the majority of Americans support public health. According to that poll, titled “America Speaks,” 63 percent said investment in public health research is “very” important, 61 percent said it’s “very” important to support public health training and 82 percent supported increasing federal funding for state and local health departments.

For more information, visit www.researchamerica.org.