Awareness and Perceptions of the Movie “Sicko”
An August 2007 poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation looks at the potential impact of Michael Moore’s documentary “Sicko.” The survey finds that although only 4% of adults say they have watched it, almost half (46%) had seen the movie or heard or read something about it a little over a month after its national release.
Among those familiar with “Sicko,” 45% said they have had a discussion with friends, co-workers, and family about the U.S. health system as a result of the movie; 43% said they were more likely to think there is a need to reform the health system. About equal numbers believe the movie accurately represents problems in the U.S. health system versus overstating them. Still, “Sicko” has not altered what have long been the fundamental factors shaping the public’s views on health care, such as personal health care experiences and proposals from presidential candidates.
The Kaiser Foundation asked this series of questions about “Sicko” as a part of the Kaiser Health Tracking Survey: Election 2008 from August 2 to August 8 among a nationally representative telephone sample of 1,500 adults, including 748 adults who reported having seen the movie or heard or read anything about it.
