Public weighs in on federal health agencies

How do your views of federal health-related agencies compare with the opinions of the general public?

The majority of respondents to a new Pew Research Center survey said they view the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) favorably; respectively, 75 percent, 68 percent, 65 percent and 61 percent of respondents expressed positive views of the agencies.

Approval for those health-related agencies was highest among those identifying as Democrats. In the case of HHS and the CDC, a greater percentage of independents than Republicans said they viewed the agencies positively. In the case of the VA and the FDA, more Republicans than independents said they held favorable opinions.

Views about other government agencies were sought via the survey, too. Among all federal agencies rated, the CDC topped the list. The Internal Revenue Service was at the bottom of the list, with 44 percent of survey participants saying they viewed that agency favorably.

The survey was conducted Oct. 9­ to 13, before the agreement to end the government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling.

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Lois Bowers

Lois A. Bowers was senior editor of I Advance Senior Care / Long-Term Living from 2013-2015.