Amid coronavirus threat, Americans generally have a high level of trust in medical doctors
In 2019, 74% of Americans said they had a mostly positive view of doctors; 68% had a mostly favorable view of medical research scientists.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
In 2019, 74% of Americans said they had a mostly positive view of doctors; 68% had a mostly favorable view of medical research scientists.
Here is a roundup of key takeaways from our studies of U.S. public opinion about science issues and their effect on society.
There’s a 14-point gap between the shares of White and Black adults in the U.S. who say they have a great deal of confidence in scientists.
One-in-ten U.S. adults say they have taken part in citizen science in the past year, and 26% say they have ever done so.
The public is somewhat more positive about the effects of government funding on research and practitioner recommendations.
Americans have broadly positive views of scientists and their work but are more tepid when it comes to trusting their competence, credibility and concern for the public interest.
The biggest takeaway may be the extent to which the decidedly nonpartisan virus met with an increasingly partisan response.
About nine-in-ten Americans see research scientists as intelligent, while a smaller majority describe them as good communicators.
A strong majority of the American public thinks of science as having a positive effect on society, and most expect continued benefits to accrue from science in the years ahead.
Most Americans believe the health benefits of the MMR vaccine are high and the risks are low. Many favor school-based vaccine requirements.
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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
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