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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

Public opinion, public policy, and HIV infection.

An analysis of the interplay between public opinion and public policy in terms of HIV infection yielded a four-stage framework for considering the development of public policy in relation to a highly charged issue. The phases are denial, irrationality, acceptance, and the development of a rational response. As we move into Phase 4 in relation to HIV infection, we should take a lesson from the history of the development of public policy for persons with disabilities and promote strong federal leadership and a federal antidiscrimination policy that includes persons with HIV infection as a part of the group of persons with disabilities.

HIV Infections↗
PubMed1998

Public opinion about public health--California and the United States, 1996.

Despite widespread belief that public support is critical to the success of public health programs and agencies, systematic efforts to measure public opinion about public health have been limited. This report summarizes surveys conducted by two organizations-one a public policy center in California, the other a national opinion polling firm-to measure support for public health activities. The findings indicate widespread support for community-oriented disease-prevention and health-promotion activities.

California↗
PubMed2000

Public opinion about public health--United States, 1999.

Previous surveys have documented a substantial gap in the public's understanding and attitudes about public health (1). The Pew Charitable Trusts, a Philadelphia-based philanthropy that supports nonprofit activities in the areas of culture, education, the environment, health and human services, public policy, and religion, commissioned two firms, the Mellman Group and Public Opinion Strategies, to conduct both qualitative and quantitative research in 1999 to characterize the public's attitudes about public health. In particular, the Pew Charitable Trusts asked the groups to explore 1) perceptions about public health in general, including levels of support and importance compared with other national priorities; 2) opinions about environmental health and its role in causing disease and promoting health; and 3) opinions about the public health infrastructure. This report summarizes the results of this survey, which indicate that the term "public health" is misunderstood, persons are concerned about the quality of the public health system, increased government spending for public health is a greater priority than other key national concerns, and that the public regard environmental factors as important contributors to certain health problems.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Opinions on public opinion polling.

This paper examines some of the strengths and limitations of polling and suggests specific things to look for to help judge the validity and importance of findings from polls. The authors, who conduct many polls, advise those who rely on polling results to take the findings in perspective.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1998

Private sexual behavior, public opinion, and public health policy related to sexually transmitted diseases: a US-British comparison.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to characterize sexual behavior and opinions about sex in the United States and Britain; implications are discussed for effective public health policy regarding sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States. METHODS: Large-scale national probability surveys conducted in the 2 countries detailed sexual behavior, opinions, and the prevalence of STDs. RESULTS: In comparison with that of Britain, the US population has greater variability in sexual behavior, less tolerant opinions about sexual behavior, and a higher STD prevalence and lower condom usage among men. CONCLUSIONS: The survey data show compelling evidence from both countries of a strong association between number of sex partners and STD risk. In the United States relative to Britain, there is both greater dispersion in sexual behavior and a greater incidence of unconditional opposition to certain sexual practices. The former implies a need for strong public health policy to address the risks of STDs, but the latter implies strong opposition to that policy. This disjuncture between public health need and feasibility may contribute to the high US rate of STDs.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Trends of public opinion on tobacco use and public policy.

This study examined the trends and stability of public opinion related to tobacco use and raising tobacco taxes in Indiana. Using a structured questionnaire, a sample of 800 households was randomly selected, and the adults were interviewed by telephone in 1989, 1990 and 1992 by the Indiana University Center for Survey Research. The data were subjected to descriptive and chi-square statistical procedures. The results of the study indicate that more than 80% agreed that secondhand smoke is a health threat, and the opinions remained practically stable for the duration of the study. Most respondents agreed that public places should be required to have nonsmoking areas. Further, most people favored a tax increase on cigarettes, and there was an upward trend toward more people favoring a tax increase in recent years. It was concluded that the tax on tobacco should be increased for public health reasons.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Public opinion on tobacco use, its taxes and public policy.

Public opinion is an important vehicle in shaping legislative efforts and public policy related to tobacco use and related taxes. This study examined public opinion about policy related to tobacco use and raising tobacco taxes in a Midwestern state. The American Lung Association of Indiana provided a grant to sponsor this project. A structured questionnaire was developed, field tested and revised for the final data collection procedure. A sample of 800 adult subjects was randomly selected and telephone interviewed by the Indiana University Center for Survey Research. The collected data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. The data revealed a good representative sample of adult males and females for various age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds. Among other findings, 29% were currently smokers, 23% were former smokers, and 47.5% never smoked. More than 90% support a requirement that public places have nonsmoking areas. About 85% favor an increase in cigarette taxes to pay for health education and tobacco-related research. The relationship of the subjects' gender, education and income to their opinion about the various aspects of tobacco, taxes and related policies were examined.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Public opinion about doctors' pay.

Public opinion about doctors' incomes was examined in a national random sample of 843 respondents; 70.1 per cent of those questioned felt physicians are overpaid. There was a high degree of agreement among various groups that physicians are overpaid, but older people and Whites were more likely to think so than younger people and other ethnic groups. People who believe that the United States is characterized by unequal educational opportunity, unfair income distribution, and limited resources were also more likely to think physicians are overpaid.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Heterogeneous beliefs, segregation, and extremism in the making of public opinions.

The connection between contradictory public opinions, heterogeneous beliefs, and the emergence of majority- or minority-induced extremism is studied, extending our former two-state dynamic opinion model. Agents are attached to a social-cultural class. At each step they are distributed randomly in different groups within their respective classes to evolve locally by majority rule. In case of a tie the group adopts one or another opinion with respective probabilities k and (1-k) . The value of k accounts for the average of individual biases driven by the existence of heterogeneous beliefs within the corresponding class. It may vary from class to class. The process leads to extremism with a full polarization of each class along one opinion. For homogeneous classes the extremism can be along the initial minority making it minority induced. In contrast, heterogeneous classes exhibit more balanced dynamics, which results in a majority-induced extremism. Segregation among subclasses may produce a coexistence of opinions at the class level, thus averting global extremism. Insight into the existence of contradictory public opinions in similar social-cultural neighborhoods is given.

Journal Article↗