Affordable health care and drug use top US concerns: Gallup

According to a new Gallup survey, Americans are increasingly concerned about drug use and affordable health care, even as they continue to worry about inflation and the economy.

The poll, released Thursday, show the share of Americans who said they worry “a lot” about drug use has increased 8 percentage points since last year, now standing at 46%.

And the share of Americans who said they worry a lot about the availability and affordability of health care has jumped 5 percentage points since last year, to 54%. Also up 5 percentage points, to 45%, the share of people who said they were very worried about Social Security.

Inflation and the economy are still among the top two concerns for Americans, but health, drug use and social security issues saw the biggest jump between 2022 and 2023. The shares of Americans who said worry a lot about inflation and the economy each grew only 2% from last year.

The availability and affordability of health care ranked third on the list of concerns this year, tied with crime and violence.

Survey results come amid debate on the cost and accessibility of health care in the United States – and amid concerns about the position of rights programs such as health insurance and social security.

New data also observed a rise In overdose deathraising concerns about drug use in the country.

Conducted March 1-23, Gallup’s annual Environmental Survey surveyed 1,009 American adults and had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.