A daily roundup of fresh data from scholars, governments, think tanks, pollsters and other social science researchers.
Politics Americans are so-so on Sochi; Perceptions of Putin don’t help, ABC News/Washington Post More than half of Americans plan to follow Olympics, topline, AP/GFK Majority want gov’t to reduce income gap, expect terrorist attack in Sochi, CNN/ORC Republicans closing the money gap in Senate races, The Wall Street Journal Media make us think we’re more polarized than we really are, The Washington Post IRS criminal prosecutions rise 23% under Obama, TRAC Syracuse
Economy Millions have financial difficulty, but optimism about future grows, NBC News/Marist Administrators, not faculty, drove boom in higher-ed workforce, Chronicle of Higher Ed The labor market’s continuing weakness, in one chart, National Journal How long do unemployed older workers search for a job? Center for Retirement Research Do teen spending habits matter for success? University of Michigan December’s leading indexes suggest expansion in 47 state economies, Philadelphia Fed Higher education: How does culture affect post-secondary choices? OECD December jobless rates down in 339 of 372 metro areas, payroll jobs up in 294, BLS
Health & Society                                               51% of Americans disapprove of ACA, Gallup Americans more pessimistic about healthcare costs than quality, Urban Institute Record-high 87 exonerations in 2013, University of Michigan Does deregulation lead to fast-food eating and weight gain? WHO via WashPo No agnostics in the (Army) foxhole, USA TODAY Motor vehicle death rates among children down 43% from 2002 to 2011, CDC Congress appropriates $100 million to neglected tropical disease control efforts, KFF
International Human smuggling and trafficking into Europe, Migration Policy Institute Volume of retail trade down by 1.6% in Euro Area, Eurostat More babies in UK born to non-UK mothers, Office for National Statistics Analysis of UK economy after crisis, Office for National Statistics Study on alcohol and mortality in Russia, The Lancet
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