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Confidence in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has plummeted significantly among St. Louis adults over the past three months, according to a recent survey from iHeard St. Louis, a public health oversight program at the School of Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis.
The CDC has been at the heart of vaccine-related disputes in recent weeks. These latest results indicate that the public is aware of those occurrences and offer an initial insight into community members’ responses.
In comparison to June, a diminished number of residents now express trust in the CDC regarding flu vaccines. Fewer individuals also believe the agency is equipped to deal with flu outbreaks or consider its actions to be in the best interest of the public.
The results are derived from iHeard St. Louis, a program aimed at listening to residents and swiftly identifying emerging health issues. iHeard depends on a consistent panel of over 200 residents who participate in weekly mobile phone surveys concerning health updates, inquiries, and beliefs. This ongoing strategy permits researchers to monitor changes in public sentiment with high reliability.
The latest survey, carried out on Sept. 6-8, questioned St. Louis adults regarding their perceptions of the CDC’s management of flu and flu vaccines. The identical questions were posed earlier this summer, June 21-23, establishing a clear depiction of how public attitudes have shifted as flu season approaches. This week’s alert is based on responses from 187 adults surveyed in September and 189 surveyed in June.
The outcomes indicate a drastic reduction in confidence. In June, 71% of St. Louis adults concurred that the CDC was ready to handle flu responses. By September, that figure had decreased to 56%. Likewise, the proportion of residents who believed the CDC’s flu response served their best interests fell from 78% to 61%. Trust in the CDC’s recommendations for flu vaccines also diminished, dropping from 59% to 50%.
The most significant declines were noted among men and older individuals. Among men, the percentage who thought the CDC was prepared to respond to flu decreased by 19 percentage points. Those who felt the agency’s flu response was in the public’s best interest dropped by 22 percentage points, and confidence in its vaccine guidance fell by 15 percentage points. Among adults aged 60 and older, the declines were 26, 25, and 11 percentage points, respectively, across the same three criteria.
“These results illustrate how swiftly public trust can change,” stated Matthew W. Kreuter, the Kahn Family Professor of Public Health at WashU. “They also imply that individuals are attentive to national discussions about health and vaccines.”
iHeard was initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic to grasp what the public was absorbing about the virus and vaccines, but has since broadened its scope to encompass all health topics. Its weekly surveys have been conducted for over four years, including communities in eight states.
After data collection, iHeard generates infographics, alerts, and additional resources that are shared with more than 200 community organizations, such as local health departments, nonprofits, and clinics. This rapid-response framework assists in ensuring that accurate information can reach the public expeditiously.
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