Voters frequently cite the economy as a key issue in determining their preferences in any given election. At the same time, many people report that they are very worried about the rising costs of health care, naming it as a top personal concern. This Public Opinion Data Note focuses on how much the two points are related, and to what extent concerns about health care costs drive impressions about the economy as a whole.

When voters who name the economy as their top issue were asked to be more specific, health care is mentioned as a secondary issue to access to jobs with better wages and benefits, the need for more jobs overall, and concerns about jobs leaving the country. However, for voters pessimistic about the state of the economy – the 60% who rate the economy as “not so good” or “poor” – health care concerns appear to play a somewhat larger role.

The Data Note draws from a nationally representative telephone survey, conducted Oct. 5 to Oct. 10 among 1,052 registered voters, and analyzed by Kaiser researchers.

 Data Note (.pdf)