State of the Union 2022: How Americans view major national issues
Here’s a look at public opinion on some of the key issues facing the country, drawn from recent Pew Research Center surveys.
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Public’s Top Priority for 2022: Strengthening the Nation’s Economy
Dealing with coronavirus has declined as a policy priority, especially among Republicans. This marks a shift from last year, when the economy and the coronavirus both topped the public’s policy agenda.
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Americans’ Trust in Scientists, Other Groups Declines
Trust in scientists and medical scientists has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, with 29% of U.S. adults saying they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public. This is down from 40% in November 2020 and 35% in January 2019, before COVID-19 emerged. Other prominent groups – including the military, police officers and public school principals – have also seen their ratings decline.
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Increasing Public Criticism, Confusion Over COVID-19 Response in U.S.
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.
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Academic, emotional concerns outweigh COVID-19 risks in parents’ views about keeping schools open
53% of parents of K-12 students say schools in the United States should be providing a mix of in-person and online instruction this winter.
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Attention to COVID-19 news increased slightly amid omicron surge; partisans differ in views about the outbreak
37% of U.S. adults say they are following news about the coronavirus outbreak very closely. That is up from 31% in March 2021.
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Republicans and Democrats alike view Russia more as a competitor than an enemy of the U.S.
Amid tensions over a possible military invasion of Ukraine, Republicans and Democrats are largely in agreement about the threats posed by Russia.
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Americans broadly negative about the state of the nation, but most see a better year ahead
A majority of U.S. adults (61%) are optimistic that the new year will be better than the year that just ended.
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Latinos See U.S. as Better Than Place of Family’s Ancestry for Opportunity, Raising Kids, Health Care Access
Most Latino immigrants say they would come to the U.S. again.
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Recent surge in U.S. drug overdose deaths has hit Black men the hardest
Black men are now on par with American Indian or Alaska Native men as the demographic groups most likely to die from overdoses.
