Public Opinion

HeaLTH in the Midterms

Health Care in the 2026 Midterm Election

This dashboard focuses on KFF’s analysis of the role health care costs and other health policy issues played in voters’ decisions in the 2026 midterm elections, including in key Senate races. It examines the role of rising health costs on voters’ decisions, views on the Trump administration’s health care policies, and opinions on the government’s role in health care amid discussions of Medicare for All.

Abortion on the Ballot in 2026: Polling Insights from Voters in Four States

This dashboard provides KFF’s analysis of the role abortion played in voters’ decisions in the 2026 midterm elections, with a focus on four states with abortion-related ballot measures: Idaho, Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia. It examines support for each of the measures across groups, including additional questions in Missouri.

What Do the Midterm Election Results Mean for Health Care? 

Event Date:

On November 5 at Noon ET, join KFF for a special post-election discussion and live “What the Health” podcast taping. Part of the discussion will focus on public opinion survey data on how voters weighed health care as they went to the polls nationally and in the four states with abortion-related ballot initiatives. 

Midterm Voters Give Democrats a Big Advantage to Handle Health Care

Quick Insights

KFF’s analysis of the 2026 Voter Poll by SSRS shows midterm voters gave Democrats a 19-percentage-point advantage on which party is better able to handle health care. Voters also gave Democrats a narrow edge on handling the economy (43% vs. 37%), a reversal from 2024, when Trump had a 10-point advantage over Harris. "In an election focused on affordability, Democrats’ messaging on health care costs appears to have resonated with voters and may have contributed to the party’s gains."

KFF/AP Survey of RURAL VOTERS

Health Information and Trust

About Half of Parents Mistakenly Believe Spacing Out Vaccines Is Healthier for Children; Half Say No Strong Evidence to Support Such a Claim

KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Fall 2026 Update on Vaccine Views

The latest KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust finds about half of parents mistakenly believe spacing out vaccines is healthier for children, while confidence in many long-standing childhood vaccines is high across partisans. These findings take on new relevance following President Trump’s recent executive order calling for changes in U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations, including splitting the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine—currently given as a single combined shot—into three separate vaccines across multiple visits.

Dashboard: Polling on Health Information and Trust

Drawing on KFF’s poll findings, this interactive dashboard tracks the public’s trusted sources for health information, attitudes toward vaccines, and use of news, social media, and AI for health-related information.

Health Tracking PollS

Democrats Hold a Nearly 2-to-1 Advantage Over Republicans on Handling the Cost of Health Care

Health Care Issues in the Lead-Up to the 2026 Midterm Election 

In the lead up to the midterms, health care costs remained tied with gas as voters’ top midterm concerns. Two-thirds of U.S. adults also favored Medicare-for-all, a new high in KFF Polling, but support shifts when competing claims from critics and proponents are heard.

Most Democratic Voters Want To Hear Candidates Discuss Health Costs and Future of Health Programs; More Republicans Focused on Fraud

Public Views on Fraud in Health Programs

As the 2026 midterms approach, health care costs remain voters’ top health priority, but fraud in government health programs, including Medicaid and Medicare, is resonating with Republican voters, 55% of whom say it’s extremely important for candidates to address.

Mifepristone and the Midterms

Amid an ongoing FDA re-review of mifepristone, awareness of the safety and prevalence of the abortion pill remains limited. This KFF poll also finds that the voters who say abortion policy is an important issue for 2026 midterm candidates to discuss are disproportionately Democrats.

MAHA and the Midterms

This KFF Health Tracking Poll finds that the cost of health care is a more prominent focus for Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) voters than issues like food and vaccine policy. Four in ten MAHA voters (42%) choose lowering health costs as the most important health priority, outranking other MAHA priorities.

the essentials

Health Tracking Poll

Our signature survey project provides up-to-date data on the public’s health care views, knowledge, and experiences.

Tracking the Public’s Views on the ACA

Tracking the Public’s Views on the ACA

This interactive tool tracks public opinion on the Affordable Care Act, from the inception of the law to the present, including trends based on party identification, income, age, gender, and race/ethnicity.

Health Information and Trust Tracking Poll

The Health Information and Trust Tracking Poll is part of KFF’s Health Information and Trust Initiative, which tracks health misinformation and analyzes its impact on the public.

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  • Kaiser/Harvard Health News Index June 1997

    Poll Finding

    The June 1997 edition of the Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard Health News Index includes questions about major health issues covered in the news,including questions about Late-Term Abortions, Sexual Activity among Teens and the Tobacco Industry. The survey is based on a national random sample of 1,202 Americans conducted from April 28 - June 8, 1997 which measures public knowledge of health stories covered in the news media during the previous month. The Health News Index is…

  • Reflections of Girls in the Media:  A Content Analysis Across Six Media and a National Survey of Children

    Other Post

    Solving Problems and Achieving Goals Problem solving and achieving goals were examined in relation to the television and moviecharacters and as information provided in the magazine articles (Table 10). Both male and femalecharacters most often rely upon themselves to solve their problems and achieve their goals. In thetelevision shows about a third of the men (32%) and women (35%) solved their own problems, while inthe movies, almost half of the men (49%) and more than…

  • Kaiser/Harvard Health News Index, April 1997

    Poll Finding

    The April 1997 edition of the Kaiser FamilyFoundation/Harvard Health News Index includes questions about major health issues covered in the news, including questions about Late-Term Abortions, the Morning After Pills and the Tobacco Industry. The survey also features public knowledge of when women think mammogram screenings should begin. The survey is based on a national random sample of 1,1015 Americans conducted April 4-8, 1997 which measures public knowledge of health stories covered by news media…

  • Another Gender Gap?  Men’s Role in Preventing Pregnancy

    Report

    A chart pack, press release, and Q&A prepared for a briefing held in New York on March 19, 1997, co-sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the National Press Foundation and The Alan Guttmacher Institute. This briefing focused on men's role and responsibility in preventing pregnancy. A survey of men's and women's perceptions about men's role and responsibility when it comes to preventing unplanned pregnancy was released as part of this briefing and is also available,…

  • Survey of Americans’ Knowledge and Attitudes about Entitlements

    Poll Finding

    This Washington Post/Kaiser/Harvard University survey examines American's knowledge and attitudes on entitlements, particularly Social Security and the Medicare program. The survey findings were reported in The Washington Post on Saturday, March 29th, 1997. The survey was conducted by Chilton Research. TOPLINE Download

  • Kaiser Family Foundation and Children Now National Surveys: Talking with Kids about Tough Issues – Toplines/Survey

    Other Post

    Talking With Kids About Tough Issues National Surveys of Parents and Children for the "Talking With Your Kids" Campaign Kaiser Family Foundation and Children Now Conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates -- Questionnaire and National Toplines -- Parent Interviews: All responses here for parents of children ages 8-12; from children ages 10-12; or from teens ages 13-15 Q1. Do you think parents of school-age children discuss each of the following topics too much, too little,…

  • Kaiser Family Foundation and Children Now National Surveys: Talking with Kids about Tough Issues

    Other Post

    New National Campaign Encourages Parents To Start Talking With Their Children Earlier About Some Of The Hardest-To-Talk-About Topics, Like Sex Campaign Provides Resources to Help Parents Begin the Discussion On Tough Issues In Age-Appropriate Way that Incorporates Own Values Campaign Survey Says Parents Are Not Talking Enough About Sex, AIDS, Violence, and Drug and Alcohol Abuse;And Children Say They Want More Information Embargoed for release until: 10:00 AM EST, Wednesday, February 19, 1997 New York,…

  • Kaiser/Harvard Health News Index, February 1997

    Poll Finding

    The February 1997 edition of the Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard Health News Index includes questions about Government Panel Recommendations on Mammograms, Medicare and Expaning Insurance to Children (CHIP). The survey is based on a national random sample of 1,003 Americans conducted February 21-24, 1997 which measures public knowledge of health stories covered by news media during the previous month. The Health News Index is designed to help the news media and people inthe health field gain…

  • National Survey of Women about their Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding their Reproductive Health

    Report

    Survey of Women About Their Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Their Reproductive Health Glamour; Kaiser Family Foundation; Princeton Survey Research Associates Summary of Major Findings February 1997 The Kaiser Family Foundation partnered with Glamour magazine on a national survey to find out how much women know about their reproductive health care needs and whether they are taking important steps to protect their reproductive health, covering such critical issues as: routine gynecological exams,contraception, emergency contraception, sexually…

  • Post-Election Survey of Voters’ 1997 Health Care Agenda

    Poll Finding

    Post-Election Survey of Voters' 1997 Health Care Agenda A nationally representative sample of 1000 voters, conducted immediately after the 1996 election, examines voters' priorities for the new Congress. Balancing the budget, cutting taxes and spending on public education top the list of voters priorities. The survey also looks at public support for regulating managed care, expanding health insurance coverage, Medicare spending, and the welfare reform law passed last year. Topline Download