Polling

This survey looks at the public’s health care priorities for the new Congress, including price transparency, mental health, abortion, Medicaid, and health costs. It also looks at the public’s views of the main health provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), including on Medicare drug prices.

This Vaccine Monitor survey finds that almost three in ten adults now say that parents should be able to decide not to vaccinate their school-age children for measles and other childhood illness, up since 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. It also explores uptake of the new bivalent booster, and why many vaccinated adults have not gotten it.

In the wake of the 2022 midterm elections, KFF’s analysis of KFF/AP VoteCast supplemental questions shows how abortion and the overturn of Roe v. Wade played a factor in the election by motiving key voting blocks.

Leading up to the November 2022 midterm elections, abortion access is motivating majorities of Democratic women, women under 50 and and Democratic voters in states with abortion bans. For older voters, some health care issues related to Medicare costs are resonating.

Our latest Vaccine Monitor survey finds that half of the public has heard either “a lot” or “some” about the newly-available bivalent COVID-19 boosters, and a third (32%) say they’ve already gotten it or intend to do so “as soon as possible.” It also updates parents’ vaccine intentions for their children, including those under 5.

Adults who report having ever been told by a doctor they have a weakened or compromised immune system are more likely than others to say they are worried about serious COVID-19 illness, with many reporting continued mask wearing and other precautions as mask mandates and other pandemic-relate restrictions are lifted.

This poll finds most voters (55%) now say access to abortion is “very important” to their vote in November’s midterm elections, up since the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. This heightened interest is greatest among voter groups who largely want to guarantee access to abortion, including Democratic voters and women voters under 50 years old.

In the wake of the FDA’s emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 6 months through 4 years old, many parents remain hesitant to vaccinate their children in this age group, with a slight majority saying they view the vaccine as a bigger risk to their child’s health than getting infected with coronavirus.

This poll analyses the general public’s understanding of abortion access and reproductive health following a leaked draft of the U.S Supreme Court opinion on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Center. The poll also looks at how the aftermath of the leaked opinion may affect voting in the upcoming midterm election. This KFF poll also finds that there are significant knowledge gaps on the prevalence and the overall safety of abortions.

Misinformation and confusion about the COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy is common among women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, with about three in ten saying they believe at least one false statement regarding the COVID-19 vaccines.