Americans are increasingly critical of the response to COVID-19 from elected officeholders and public health officials. Positive ratings of public health officials, such as those at the CDC, have fallen 10 points since August. And 60% of U.S. adults say they’ve felt confused as a result of changes to recommendations on how to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Most Americans express a broad interest in health and medicine, as well as in science and technology along with other topics. Seven-in-ten adults (70%) say they are interested in health and medicine, more than any other of the nine topics asked about in the survey. Large shares also say they are interested in local events […]
This chapter looks at public views about human evolution and perceptions of scientific consensus about evolution and the creation of the universe. Consistent with past Pew Research surveys and other public surveys, religious groups play a central role in beliefs about these topics. Numerous other factors also influence public views about evolution, however, including politics, […]
Public opinion about climate and energy issues is strongly divided along political party and ideological lines. This chapter reviews those patterns underlying beliefs about climate change, perceived consensus among scientists about climate change, and views about one policy prescription aimed at reducing climate change. Liberal Democrats are especially inclined to hold the view that the […]
The general public’s political views are strongly linked to their attitudes on climate and energy issues. But politics is a less important factor on biomedical, food safety, space issues.
The bulk of the analysis in this report stems from a general public survey conducted by telephone with a national sample of adults (18 years of age or older) living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The results are based on 2,002 interviews (801 respondents were interviewed on a landline telephone […]
A new survey finds that nearly one-in-four Hispanic adults are now former Catholics, while rising numbers are Protestant or unaffiliated with any religion.