Public Perspectives on Women’s Health Policy Priorities for the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress

The 2020 KFF Women’s Health Survey was designed and analyzed by researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) of a representative sample of 4,805 adults, ages 18-64 years old (3,661 women and 1,144 men). The survey was conducted online and telephone using AmeriSpeak®, the probability-based panel of NORC at the University of Chicago. U.S. households are recruited for participation using address-based sampling methodology and initial invitations for participation are sent by mail, telephone, and in-person interviews. Interviews for this survey were conducted between November 19 and December 17, 2020, among adults living in the United States. KFF paid for all costs associated with the survey.

The sample for this study was stratified by age, race/ethnicity, education, and gender as well as disproportionate stratification aimed at reaching uninsured women, women who identify as LGBT, and women 18-49 years old. The sampling also took into consideration differential survey completion rates by demographic groups so that the set of panel members with a completed interview for a study is a representative sample of the target population. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish online (4,636) and via the telephone (169).

A series of data quality checks were run and cases determined to be poor-quality, as defined by surveys with a length of interview of less than 33% of the mean length of interview and with high levels of question refusal (>50%) were removed from the final data (n=96). Weighting involved multiple stages. First, the sample was weighted to match estimates for the national population from the 2020 Current Population Survey on age, gender, census division, race/ethnicity, and education. The second round of weights adjusted for the study’s sampling design. All statistical tests of significance account for the effect of weighting.

The margin of sampling error including the design effect for the full sample of women is plus or minus 2 percentage points. Numbers of respondents and margins of sampling error for key subgroups are shown in the table below. For results based on other subgroups, the margin of sampling error may be higher. Sample sizes and margins of sampling error for other subgroups are available by request. Note that sampling error is only one of many potential sources of error in this or any other public opinion poll.

For additional detail regarding the methodology, please contact womenshealth@kff.org.

Women Ages 18-64 Topline

POL1. How much of a priority should the following be for the President and Congress?

POL2. As you may have heard, there is growing concern in the United States about the rate of women dying from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. As far as you know, are Black women more or less likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth than white women, or do you not know?

POL8. As far as you know, does the United States have a national policy where workers can take paid time off from work for the birth or adoption of a child, or not?

Men Ages 18-64 Topline

POL1. How much of a priority should the following be for the President and Congress?

POL2. As you may have heard, there is growing concern in the United States about the rate of women dying from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. As far as you know, are Black women more or less likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth than white women, or do you not know?

POL8. As far as you know, does the United States have a national policy where workers can take paid time off from work for the birth or adoption of a child, or not?