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KFF designs, conducts and analyzes original public opinion and survey research on Americans’ attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with the health care system to help amplify the public’s voice in major national debates.
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In this column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman discusses the Christie, Cuomo rift with the federal government over Ebola public health measures and the need for uniform national policies to ease the public’s fears.
Ebola virus has a unique set of characteristics that determine how and why its spreads, and how deadly it can be. To better understand Ebola, a new Kaiser Family Foundation infographic compares it to twelve other infectious diseases that continue to represent public health challenges today and offers five key takeaways about the disease.
The October Kaiser Health Tracking Poll found that majorities of the public said that if a case of Ebola were diagnosed in their area, they would have a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of confidence in state, local, and federal health authorities to contain the disease and prevent it from spreading. Given the evolving news story, we re-surveyed the public from October 17-19 to determine whether confidence in health authorities to prevent the spread of Ebola has changed in light of more recent developments.
Democrats, Republicans and Independents All Support Major
With the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and individual cases in the U.S. and Europe making international headlines, the latest Kaiser Health Policy News Index examines Americans’ attention to the Ebola crisis, awareness of key facts about the disease, and views of the U.S. role in addressing Ebola in Africa and at home.
Those Following Measles Story More Likely To Say They Worry About the DiseaseThe public paid more attention to news coverage of the measles outbreak in the U.S. and the resulting debate on whether vaccinations should be required for all kids than any other news story included in this month's Kaiser Health Policy News Index.
Diabetes and obesity have evolved from a national public health concern to a problem of epidemic proportions — a very costly problem. The direct medical costs and the indirect costs of diabetes are estimated at $174 billion yearly.
The new health reform law contains a number of changes in the way health care is paid for, particularly in public programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
03/05/10 Engaging consumers more directly in their care may improve health outcomes and help control the costs of care. This briefing, cosponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform and the AARP Public Policy Institute, focused on the potential for changing consumer behavior to promote the use of effective interventions and discourage unnecessary care.
This polling data note examines the public’s attitudes about e-cigarettes and vaping amid growing concerns about vaping-related lung illnesses and proposals by state and federal government to ban or limit the sale of e-cigarettes. It assesses views towards ban proposals and beliefs about their safety and impact on teenagers.
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