BUSINESS & POLITICS IN THE WORLD

 

GLOBAL OPINION REPORT NO. 655

 

 

Week: September 07 – September 13, 2020

 

Presentation: September 18, 2020

 

 

Contents

 

Americans Favor Saving Over Spending Until Vaccine. 2

SUMMARY OF POLLS. 7

ASIA   12

Thais most likely to have tested for COVID-19 in ASEAN.. 12

Indians more likely to choose Goa over Maldives or Switzerland for their next vacation. 14

MENA   16

Majority of the Palestinians views the decision of the UAE to normalize relations with Israel as a betrayal 16

AFRICA.. 16

Nigerian government doing a poor job on water/sanitation and health care, citizens say. 16

Kenyans support rule of law in governance, respect for the law and courts by the president 20

MPs are failing at the jobs that Sierra Leoneans want them to do. 21

EUROPE.. 22

Wage expectations and career opportunities in Italy: men and women have different experiences. 22

Why do Danes not want to pay for news?. 23

Most Britons sense things have taken a turn for the worse on coronavirus. 24

Three in ten Brits (29%) prefer organic food. 26

Three in ten Brits claim to have boycotted a clothing brand. 27

Two thirds of Britons like seeing real-looking people in adverts. 30

How do restaurant-goers and homebodies compare?. 30

Sorry Dettol, but hardly anybody misses plastic plants. 32

Public supports government intervention on diet, health and advertising. 33

Communicating Public Health: Conversations about the COVID-19 pandemic - Report 1. 35

Public confidence in using NHS is returning, but concerns persist among groups worst affected by COVID-19. 37

NORTH AMERICA.. 37

Americans Favor Saving Over Spending Until Vaccine. 37

Most Vulnerable Lack Internet Lifeline. 41

New Low in U.S. See Progress for Black Civil Rights. 43

Gallup Vault: New Vaccines Not Wildly Popular in U.S. 45

Voters’ Attitudes About Race and Gender Are Even More Divided Than in 2016. 47

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES. 58

Public Misgivings of Private Affairs: Trust in Private Institutions of the Arab World. 59

COVID-19: how do Europeans and Americans think their efforts to counter the disease compare?. 62

Despite Pandemic, Many Europeans Still See Climate Change as Greatest Threat to Their Countries. 64

 


 

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

 

This weekly report consists of twenty five surveys. The report includes three multi-country studies national surveys from different states across the globe.

 

655-43-26/Commentary:

Americans Favor Saving Over Spending Until Vaccine

Despite challenging economic conditions brought on by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a slim majority of Americans (54%) say they are currently saving at least a little money. Yet in these uncertain times, they largely plan to keep saving rather than spending in the near term.

Among Americans who are currently able to save money, 76% are planning to continue to add to their savings in the next six months, 28% will purchase basic goods and services, 13% will pay for a vacation or personal travel, and 10% will pay off debts.

Americans' Plans for Spending Their Savings

What do you plan to do with your increased savings over the next 6 months? Select all that apply.

Americans saving a lot or a little

%

Continue to add to savings

76

Spend it on basic goods and/or services

28

Spend it on a future vacation/personal travel

13

Use it to pay off existing debt

10

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON-GALLUP ECONOMICS OF RECOVERY STUDY, AUG. 3-11, 2020

These readings are from the latest opt-in survey for the Franklin Templeton-Gallup Economics of Recovery Study conducted Aug. 3-11, after benefits from the coronavirus aid bill expired. Among those benefits were an additional $600 per week in unemployment assistance and a federal moratorium on evictions for not paying rent. Congress has yet to agree on a new relief package and is in recess until after Labor Day, while the U.S. unemployment rate remains near the highest on record.

Most of those who are adding to their savings are keeping at least some of that money liquid, as 79% say they are putting it in their checking or savings account. Far fewer say they have increased their contributions to a 401(k) or other retirement account, invested in the stock or bond market, put it into real estate, or invested in other assets.

How Americans Are Investing Their Savings

How have you invested your additional savings? Select all that apply.

Americans who are
adding to savings

%

Increased money in checking or savings account

79

Increased contributions to 401(k), IRA, Keogh or other retirement savings account

24

Invested in stock/bonds market

17

Invested in real estate

5

Invested in other assets (e.g., commodities, cryptocurrency, foreign currencies)

3

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON-GALLUP ECONOMICS OF RECOVERY STUDY, AUG. 3-11, 2020

Vaccine Will Affect Spending More Than Other COVID-19 Advancements

Gallup asked respondents to assess the impact that six potential COVID-19 advancements might have on their willingness to return to their normal spending level. These include the development of a vaccine, personally receiving a vaccine, having an effective treatment for COVID-19, seeing a reduction in cases of the disease or deaths from it, and having extra capacity at hospitals.

An effective COVID-19 vaccine ranks as most influential to Americans when they think about resuming their normal spending. About seven in 10 say the development of such a vaccine would have a minor or major impact on their willingness to start spending regularly. Receiving an effective vaccine would have about the same impact.

GRAPH ALT TEXT: Bar chart. Impact that six potential COVID-19 advancements might have on Americans' willingness to return to their normal spending level. These include the development of a vaccine (45% major impact, 26% minor), personally receiving a vaccine (43% major, 26% minor), having an effective treatment for COVID-19 (30% major, 34% minor) seeing a reduction in cases of the disease (26% major, 34% minor) or deaths from it (26% major, 33% minor), and having extra capacity at hospitals (18% major, 29% minor).

At the same time, 64% of Americans say a treatment that would reduce the probability of death by 50% for the sickest patients would affect their resumption of spending. Three in five U.S. adults say having no more than 10 COVID-19 cases in their local area over a 14-day period would affect their spending, and nearly as many say the same for having no new deaths in their area for 14 days. Fewer than half say extra hospital capacity would be a trigger for adjusting their spending.

Implications

With consumer spending traditionally driving approximately 70% of the U.S. economy, it appears that a broad and consistent economic recovery may depend primarily on the development of an effective vaccine. Having effective treatments or sharply reduced infection rates will provide some comfort to citizens, but not to the same degree as a vaccine. Until then, a majority of Americans plan to moderate their overall spending compared with pre-pandemic levels, which means unemployment and underemployment are likely to persist at elevated levels for the foreseeable future.

(Gallup USA)

September 09, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/318815/americans-favor-saving-spending-until-vaccine.aspx

655-43-27/Country Profile: United States

USA2

USA3


 

SUMMARY OF POLLS

ASIA

(Thailand)

Thais most likely to have tested for COVID-19 in ASEAN

With no definitive timeline for a vaccine, the pandemic continues to affect people’s lives across the globe, as they adapt to a new normal. Latest YouGov data in partnership with the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) at Imperial College London looks at how people are coping across six ASEAN nations – Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. (YouGov)

September 10, 2020

(India)

Indians more likely to choose Goa over Maldives or Switzerland for their next vacation

Data collected by YouGov DestinationIndex, that tracks public perception of the world's most popular hotspots on a daily basis, has revealed that Goa is the number one choice of urban Indians for their next vacation. Goa opened up for tourism in July and gradually started reopening restaurants with certain guidelines. According to the new Unlock 4.0 guidelines, COVID-negative certificate, or home isolation for those travelling to Goa will no longer be required. With steady efforts taken by the state authorities to welcome tourists again, it is not surprising to see people choose Goa as their top holiday spot amidst Covid19. (YouGov)

September 15, 2020

 

MENA

(Palestine)

Majority of the Palestinians views the decision of the UAE to normalize relations with Israel as a betrayal

The overwhelming majority of the Palestinians views the decision of the UAE to normalize relations with Israel as a betrayal or abandonment of the Palestinian cause, one that serves only the interests of Israel. A similar majority thinks that Saudi Arabia and Egypt, by endorsing that normalization, have in effect abandoned the Palestinian leadership. But most Palestinians also place the blame on themselves because they are divided and have normalized relations with Israel long before others. (Arab Baromater)

September 15, 2020

 

AFRICA

(Nigeria)

Nigerian government doing a poor job on water/sanitation and health care, citizens say

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, a majority of citizens say they went without needed medical care and clean water at least once during the previous year, a significant increase compared to 2017, the latest Afrobarometer survey shows. Only a minority of citizens live in zones with piped water and sewage systems. Among those who had contact with a public clinic or hospital during the previous year, significant proportions report difficulties in accessing health care or having to pay a bribe to obtain the needed care, a troubling finding that has been fairly consistent over the past four survey rounds. (NOI Polls)

September 10, 2020

(Kenya)

Kenyans support rule of law in governance, respect for the law and courts by the president

Kenyans overwhelmingly favour a government that follows the law even if it conflicts with the will of its supporters, according to the most recent Afrobarometer survey. The survey also finds strong support among Kenyans for respect of the law and courts by the president. Only one in 10 citizens say a government that enjoys popular support “should be free to do whatever the people want, even if it is outside the law.” Three-quarters of Kenyans agree that indeed President Uhuru Kenyatta never or rarely ignores the courts and the laws of the country. (Afrobarometer)

September 08, 2020

(Sierra Leone)

MPs are failing at the jobs that Sierra Leoneans want them to do

Most Sierra Leoneans say their members of Parliament (MPs) are ineffective, rarely visit or help their constituents, and are untrustworthy, a new Afrobarometer survey shows. Survey respondents’ negative assessments add up to a scathing indictment of parliamentarian performance. While citizens want MPs to listen to their constituents, represent their needs, and deliver jobs and development to their communities, a majority of survey respondents say their MPs are ineffective at these tasks, as well as at making laws for the good of the country. (September 15, 2020)

(Afrobarometer)

 

EUROPE

(Italy)

Wage expectations and career opportunities in Italy: men and women have different experiences

The disparities between men and women at the employment level are a documented phenomenon, and Italy is not exempt from them. According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2020 , Italy is in 76th place in a ranking of 156 countries in terms of Gender Gap Index, an index which among other things measures gender differences in participation in the country's economy and opportunities professionals available. (YouGov)

September 10, 2020

(Denmark)

Why do Danes not want to pay for news?

The Danes' news consumption is large, but half of the adult population has never had a newspaper subscription and is not considering getting it either. YouGov has looked more closely at the reasons for the Danes' skepticism about paying for news. According to YouGov Profiles, more than half of us (60%) regularly visit news sites and news apps, but many opt out of newspaper subscriptions. (YouGov)

September 09, 2020

(UK)

Most Britons sense things have taken a turn for the worse on coronavirus

With coronavirus case numbers starting to increase once again, it looks like Briton may be about to experience a ‘second wave’ of the pandemic. YouGov’s coronavirus trackers show that the public has been picking up on the signs. The majority of Brits (54%) now say they think that the coronavirus situation in the UK is getting worse, up more than twenty points on two weeks ago (31%). Just a quarter (27%) still think the situation is improving, or entirely over. (YouGov)

September 10, 2020

(UK)

Three in ten Brits (29%) prefer organic food

YouGov Profiles data shows that three in ten (29%) Brits say they “prefer to serve organic and natural foods” to their families. But how does this attitude correspond with other culinary preferences and behaviours? While seven out of ten members of Brits (70%) identify themselves as meat and poultry eaters, only a little over half (53%) of those who favour organic food do. And while 4% of the general public identify themselves as vegetarian, more than twice as many (9%) organic food fans say they’ve sworn off animal flesh. (YouGov)

September 09, 2020

(UK)

Three in ten Brits claim to have boycotted a clothing brand

Over two in five people (44%) believe worker exploitation is common in UK factories and a plurality think even high-end designers treat their production staff  poorly. The pandemic has exposed poor conditions and exploitation in some UK factories. But only three in ten people (31%) have stopped buying clothes from a brand because of such a scandal. (YouGov)

September 09, 2020

(UK)

Two thirds of Britons like seeing real-looking people in adverts

Only one in eight dislike it

According to YouGov Profiles, two thirds of Britons (66%) say they like seeing real-looking people in adverts. One in five Britons (21%) don’t have strong feelings about the topic, while 13% don’t like depictions of everyday Britons in adverts. Topping the list is that it is an advert being memorable, at 44%. Next is it making them laugh, at 35%, followed by “the products/services it is about” on 34%, and the creativity or originality of the advert, on 33%. (YouGov)

September 08, 2020

(UK)

How do restaurant-goers and homebodies compare?

The Eat Out to Help Out Scheme may have now ended, but over a quarter of Brits still say they’re ‘very likely’ to buy food or drinks from a restaurant or pub in the next 30 days. This group of restaurant-goers contrasts with around a fifth of Brits (22%) who say they definitely won’t be eating out in the next 30 days. YouGov data shows that these two groups mainly vary in terms of income, age and their attitudes to food. (YouGov)

September 10, 2020

(UK)

Sorry Dettol, but hardly anybody misses plastic plants

YouGov asked Brits currently working from home whether they actually missed the naff plastic plants and the early mornings from the list, and if they consider their colleagues a “second family” like the Dettol marketing department suggests. The ad also mentions seeing work colleagues and friends again, which two thirds (66%) of Brits say they do in fact miss, and another 49% also miss having face to face meetings as opposed to video calls. (YouGov)

September 10, 2020

(UK)

Public supports government intervention on diet, health and advertising

In a new online survey by Ipsos MORI, over 8 in 10 (86%) of Britons say individuals have a responsibility to make sure people live healthy lives, including 62% who say they have a great deal of responsibility. Seven in ten (71%) say the Government has a responsibility to encourage healthy living. (Ipsos MORI)

September 07, 2020

(UK)

Communicating Public Health: Conversations about the COVID-19 pandemic

In this research for Future Care Capital (FCC), Ipsos MORI harnesses the power of social media data to provide insight into the UK's lived experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first report in the Communicating Public Health series provides an overview of the methodology used throughout the research series, and a discussion of the key considerations for judging the utility of social media data. It also discusses what, based on social media activity, constitute the key announcements related to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Ipsos MORI)

September 07, 2020

(UK)

Public confidence in using NHS is returning, but concerns persist among groups worst affected by COVID-19

New polling by Ipsos MORI for The Health Foundation shows public confidence in the NHS is returning, although concerns persist among groups worst affected by COVID-19. New polling data from the Health Foundation and Ipsos MORI has found that overall public confidence in using NHS services is returning, with around three-quarters (77%) of people reporting they would be comfortable using a hospital – a significant increase from 52% in May. (Ipsos MORI)

September 10, 2020

 

NORTH AMERICA

(USA)

Americans Favor Saving Over Spending Until Vaccine

Despite challenging economic conditions brought on by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a slim majority of Americans (54%) say they are currently saving at least a little money. Yet in these uncertain times, they largely plan to keep saving rather than spending in the near term. Among Americans who are currently able to save money, 76% are planning to continue to add to their savings in the next six months, 28% will purchase basic goods and services, 13% will pay for a vacation or personal travel, and 10% will pay off debts. (Gallup USA)

September 09, 2020

(USA)

Most Vulnerable Lack Internet Lifeline

Results based on Gallup's new Basic Needs Vulnerability Index reveal a glaring digital divide between the highly vulnerable and the least vulnerable. Fewer than one in four people worldwide (24%) in the High Vulnerability group said they had access to the internet through a computer, mobile phone or another type of device, compared with nearly three in four adults (74%) in the Low Vulnerability group.

(Gallup USA)

September 08, 2020

(USA)

New Low in U.S. See Progress for Black Civil Rights

Fifty-nine percent of U.S. adults believe that civil rights for Black Americans have improved in their lifetime, the bleakest assessment Gallup has measured to date. Americans' views of civil rights progress began to sour in 2015 after several cases involving Black men being killed by White police officers gained national attention. The trend accelerated this year after the deaths of George Floyd and others. (Gallup USA)

September 09, 2020

(USA)

Gallup Vault: New Vaccines Not Wildly Popular in U.S.

In 1954, shortly after the newly developed polio vaccine became available, Dr. George Gallup interpreted Americans' reaction to it positively, saying, "The public itself is very optimistic about the effectiveness of the Salk test. By more than a 13-to-1 ratio, the people interviewed who expressed an opinion feel that the new vaccine will work." To be precise, 53% thought the vaccine would work, 4% thought it would not, 33% were unsure and 10% were not familiar with the vaccine at all. That same year, Gallup found 60% of Americans saying they were willing to take the new vaccine themselves, while 31% said they would not. (Gallup USA)

September 08, 2020

(USA)

Voters’ Attitudes About Race and Gender Are Even More Divided Than in 2016

During the 2016 presidential campaign, supporters of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton disagreed over nearly everything, including the extent to which Black adults in this country are disadvantaged because of their race and women because of their gender. Today, these differences are even wider among voters who support Trump and those who back Joe Biden. Across a range of political values – around race, gender and family, immigration and religion – there are stark contrasts between voters who support Trump and those planning to vote for Biden in November. (PEW)

September 10, 2020

 

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

Public Misgivings of Private Affairs: Trust in Private Institutions of the Arab World

Many entities have long suggested that the private sector is the key to economic transformation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – including foreign governments, international agencies, and economic scholars. Even before the uprisings of 2011, they argued that the private sector has a crucial role to play in reconstructing the strained (if not broken) social contracts of the MENA region. Different theories were put forward for the role that the private sector has historically played and ought to play in the future. (Arab Barometer)

September 10, 2020

 

COVID-19: how do Europeans and Americans think their efforts to counter the disease compare?

At the beginning of the summer YouGov revealed that Europeans believed the UK had lagged behind them in its coronavirus response – and that Britons agreed with this analysis. Now the results of a follow-up study show how and where attitudes have changed. Europeans continue to see Britain as the sick man of Europe, with all six nations believing by wide margins that their own country has handled coronavirus better. (YouGov)

September 09, 2020

 

Despite Pandemic, Many Europeans Still See Climate Change as Greatest Threat to Their Countries

In a year when the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated news headlines around the world, it is perhaps unsurprising to discover that majorities in 14 countries surveyed this past summer see the spread of infectious disease as a major threat to their countries. But across the European countries included in the study, climate change remains the top-most perceived threat, even as people there also express grave concern about the risks posed by infectious disease. (PEW)

September 09, 2020

 

 

 


 

ASIA

655-43-01/Poll

Thais most likely to have tested for COVID-19 in ASEAN

Filipinos most likely to be staying home

With no definitive timeline for a vaccine, the pandemic continues to affect people’s lives across the globe, as they adapt to a new normal. Latest YouGov data in partnership with the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) at Imperial College London looks at how people are coping across six ASEAN nations – Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/pc2syagr13/ASEAN%20testing.png

Of all six ASEAN nations, the data shows that Thais are reportedly the most likely to have tested for COVID-19 in the past week, with a quarter (25%) saying they have done so. Though the nation recently went 100 days without any locally-transmitted cases, Thailand is stepping up Covid-19 testing and contact-tracing to prevent another wave of outbreak, after local disc jockey (DJ) tested positive for the virus. The nation’s main airport (Suvarnabhumi International Airport) also unveiled rapid testing for international travellers in July. Indonesians are reportedly the second most likely to have been tested for COVID-19, with almost two in ten (18%) having done in the past week. The nation currently requires mandatory testing for factory workers, and testing for intercity travel. However, the suggested high rates of testing in Indonesia could be due to the fact that the nation primarily uses rapid antibody tests, which has since been discouraged by the World Health Organisation. The third most tested in ASEAN is Vietnam (16%), followed by Malaysia (9%) and the Philippines (7%). Singaporeans are reportedly the least likely to be tested in ASEAN.

https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/8hrfjaca1n/ASEAN%20symptoms.png

A possible explanation as to why Singaporeans are the least likely to be tested in ASEAN is that they are currently the least likely to be exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. When asked if they had experienced dry cough, fever, loss of sense of smell, loss of sense or taste or shortness of breath, over nine in ten (93%) reported they had not. Asymptomatic testing is strictly prohibited in the nation. Malaysians are the second least likely to have exhibited COVID-19 symptoms in the past week, with nine in ten (91%) reporting no symptoms. They are followed by Vietnam and the Philippines (both 88%) and Thailand (85%). Indonesians are the most likely to be exhibiting symptoms in ASEAN (84%).

https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/xevim31rxc/ASEAN%20stay%20home.png

In spite of the lockdown being lifted mid last month, Filipinos remain the most likely to remain at home, with two in five (41%) answering they did not leave the house. The nation currently has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in ASEAN. Malaysians are the second most likely to stay home (32%), with the nation’s infectivity rate surging to a critical level. This is followed by Singaporeans (29%) who are the third most likely to stay home, Indonesians (16%) and Thais (12%). As the nation with the lowest confirmed number of cases in the region, the Vietnamese are the least likely to stay home (10%).

(YouGov)

September 10, 2020

Source: https://ph.yougov.com/en-ph/news/2020/09/10/thais-most-likely-have-tested-covid-19-asean/

655-43-02/Poll

Indians more likely to choose Goa over Maldives or Switzerland for their next vacation

YouGov DestinationIndex data shows domestic destinations currently dominate the list of top ten travel hotspots for Indians

Data collected by YouGov DestinationIndex, that tracks public perception of the world's most popular hotspots on a daily basis, has revealed that Goa is the number one choice of urban Indians for their next vacation. Goa opened up for tourism in July and gradually started reopening restaurants with certain guidelines. According to the new Unlock 4.0 guidelines, COVID-negative certificate, or home isolation for those travelling to Goa will no longer be required. With steady efforts taken by the state authorities to welcome tourists again, it is not surprising to see people choose Goa as their top holiday spot amidst Covid19.India_top10_places_to_travelThe pandemic seems to be rebooting domestic tourism. DestinationIndex data shows despite travel bouncing back globally, Indians choose to stay close to home, and four out of the top five places to travel by Indians are local destinations.

Although the number of Coronavirus cases in the state is constantly on the rise, travel enthusiasts are keen to holiday in Delhi, ranking it second in the list of top ten destinations. 

God’s Own Country Kerala is placed in third, followed by Maharashtra in the fourth position. Preference to travel to both these locations has seen an increase over the last ten days.

The Maldives is the only international destination ranked in the top five places- at fifth. In fact, preference for the Maldives has seen the greatest rise, from 2.6% to 6.8%, in the last ten days. After four months of lockdown, Maldives finally opened to international tourists in July and has relaxed many travel norms. In addition to this, incentives such as free visa on arrival and no compulsory quarantine could be another reason for the increase in interest to travel to this location.

After the Maldives, Switzerland and Dubai are the other foreign destinations in the list of top 10 places, ranked in seventh and tenth, respectively.

Finally, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan complete the list of top ten destinations, in the sixth, eighth and ninth, respectively.

(YouGov)

September 15, 2020

Source: https://in.yougov.com/en-hi/news/2020/09/15/indians-more-likely-choose-goa-over-maldives-or-sw/

 

MENA

655-43-03/Poll

Majority of the Palestinians views the decision of the UAE to normalize relations with Israel as a betrayal

The overwhelming majority of the Palestinians views the decision of the UAE to normalize relations with Israel as a betrayal or abandonment of the Palestinian cause, one that serves only the interests of Israel. A similar majority thinks that Saudi Arabia and Egypt, by endorsing that normalization, have in effect abandoned the Palestinian leadership. But most Palestinians also place the blame on themselves because they are divided and have normalized relations with Israel long before others.

These are the results of the latest poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip between 9-12 September 2020. The period before the conduct of the poll witnessed several developments including a US announcement about an agreement between the UAE and Israel to normalize relations between the two countries. This normalization agreement stipulated an Israeli suspension or delay of the planned annexation of parts of the West Bank. The period also witnessed a rise in the daily number of coronavirus infections and continued stalemate in Palestinian-Israeli relations that followed a PA decision to sever all security and civil links with Israel which led during the past months to a significant financial loss to the PA. This PA decision came in response to an Israeli announcement about the intention to annex about 30% of the West Bank. Total size of the sample is 1270 adults interviewed face to face in 127 randomly selected locations. Margin of error is +/-3%.

(Arab Baromater)

September 15, 2020

Source: https://www.arabbarometer.org/2020/09/majority-of-the-palestinians-views-the-decision-of-the-uae-to-normalize-relations-with-israel-as-a-betrayal/

AFRICA

655-43-04/Poll

Nigerian government doing a poor job on water/sanitation and health care, citizens say

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, a majority of citizens say they went without needed medical care and clean water at least once during the previous year, a significant increase compared to 2017, the latest Afrobarometer survey shows.

Only a minority of citizens live in zones with piped water and sewage systems. Among those who had contact with a public clinic or hospital during the previous year, significant proportions report difficulties in accessing health care or having to pay a bribe to obtain the needed care, a troubling finding that has been fairly consistent over the past four survey rounds.

The survey also shows that citizens’ approval ratings for the government’s performance in providing water and sanitation services and improving basic health services, already low, have declined further.

The findings on inadequate access to water, sanitation, and health care point to priorities for urgent action, particularly in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key findings

  • Only three in 10 Nigerians (29%) live in zones served by a piped water system, and even fewer (18%) have sewage systems their homes can access (Figure 1). Two-thirds (65%) live within walking distance of a health clinic.
  • Fewer than one in 10 citizens (8%) get their water from pipes in their dwelling place or compound. For most (65%), the main source of water is boreholes or tubewells (Figure 2).
    • Three in 10 respondents (30%) do not have a toilet or latrine in their home or compound.
  • Close to six in 10 Nigerians (57%) say they went without enough clean water at least once during the previous year, a 17-percentage-point increase compared to 2017 (Figure 3).
    • Two-thirds (65%) of Nigerians say they went without needed medical care at least once during the previous year, a 22-percentage-point increase since 2014.
  • Among respondents who had contact with a public health facility during the previous year, about four in 10 (38%) report difficulties in obtaining care, and two in 10 (21%) say they had to pay a bribe (Figure 4).
  • Only about one-third (36%) of Nigerians say the government is doing “fairly well” or “very well” on improving basic health care, and even fewer (27%) approve of the government performance in providing water and sanitation services (Figure 5).

Afrobarometer surveys

Afrobarometer is a pan-African, nonpartisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Seven rounds of surveys were completed in up to 38 countries between 1999 and 2018. Round 8 surveys in 2019/2021 are planned in at least 35 countries. Afrobarometer conducts face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice with nationally representative samples.

The Afrobarometer team in Nigeria, led by NOIPolls, interviewed 1,599 adult citizens of Nigeria in January-February 2020. A sample of this size yields country-level results with a margin of error of +/-2.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Previous surveys were conducted in Nigeria in 1999, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2017.

Charts

Figure 1: Presence of health, water, and sanitation infrastructure | by urban-rural location | Nigeria | 2020

https://noi-polls.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1.pngSurvey enumerators were asked to record:
Are the following services present in the primary sampling unit/enumeration area: Piped water system that most houses can access? Sewage system that most houses can access? Borehole or tubewell?
Are the following facilities present in the primary sampling unit/enumeration area or in easy walking distance: Health clinic (private or public or both)?
(% “yes”)


Figure 2: Main source of water for household use | Nigeria | 2020

https://noi-polls.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/2.pngRespondents were asked: What is your main source of water for household use?


Figure 3: Went without enough clean water or medical care at least once | Nigeria| 2012-2020

https://noi-polls.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/3.pngRespondents were asked: Over the past year, how often, if ever, have you or anyone in your family gone without: Enough clean water for home use? Medicines or medical treatment? (% percentage who say “just once or twice,” “several times,” “many times,” or “always”)


Figure 4: Difficulty and bribe-paying in obtaining medical care | Nigeria| 2012-2020

https://noi-polls.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/4.pngRespondents who said they had contact with a public clinic or a hospital during the previous year were asked:
How easy or difficult was it to obtain the medical care you needed? (% who say “difficult” or “very difficult”)
And how often, if ever, did you have to pay a bribe, give a gift, or do a favour for a health worker or clinic or hospital staff in order to get the medical care you needed? (% who say “once or twice,” “a few times,” or “often”)
(Note: Figure excludes those who had no contact with public clinics)


Figure 5: Approval of government performance in providing water/sanitation services and improving basic health services | Nigeria | 2012-2020

https://noi-polls.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/5.pngRespondents were asked: How well or badly would you say the current government is handling the following matters, or haven’t you heard enough to say? (% who say “fairly well” or “very well”)

(NOI Polls)

September 10, 2020

Source: https://noi-polls.com/nigerian-government-doing-a-poor-job-on-water-sanitation-and-health-care-citizens-say/

655-43-05/Poll

Kenyans support rule of law in governance, respect for the law and courts by the president

Kenyans overwhelmingly favour a government that follows the law even if it conflicts with the will of its supporters, according to the most recent Afrobarometer survey.

The survey also finds strong support among Kenyans for respect of the law and courts by the president.

Only one in 10 citizens say a government that enjoys popular support “should be free to do whatever the people want, even if it is outside the law.”

Three-quarters of Kenyans agree that indeed President Uhuru Kenyatta never or rarely ignores the courts and the laws of the country. In 2017, Kenyatta earned praise when he disagreed with, but accepted, a Supreme Court decision annulling his re-election victory and requiring a new election, which he won.

(Afrobarometer)

September 08, 2020

Source: https://www.afrobarometer.org/press/kenyans-support-rule-law-governance-respect-law-and-courts-president

655-43-06/Poll

MPs are failing at the jobs that Sierra Leoneans want them to do

Most Sierra Leoneans say their members of Parliament (MPs) are ineffective, rarely visit or help their constituents, and are untrustworthy, a new Afrobarometer survey shows.

Survey respondents’ negative assessments add up to a scathing indictment of parliamentarian performance. While citizens want MPs to listen to their constituents, represent their needs, and deliver jobs and development to their communities, a majority of survey respondents say their MPs are ineffective at these tasks, as well as at making laws for the good of the country.

Although demand for accountable governance has increased in Sierra Leone, very few citizens believe MPs are effective in holding the president and government accountable.

The study also found that MPs are among the least trusted officials and are widely perceived as corrupt.

The most recent elections saw a high turnover in Parliament, as eight out of 10 parliamentarians elected in 2012 lost their seats in 2018. 

(September 15, 2020)

(Afrobarometer)

Source: https://www.afrobarometer.org/press/internationaldayofdemocracy-mps-are-failing-jobs-sierra-leoneans-want-them-do

 

EUROPE

655-43-07/Poll

Wage expectations and career opportunities in Italy: men and women have different experiences

The disparities between men and women at the employment level are a documented phenomenon, and Italy is not exempt from them. According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2020 , Italy is in 76th place in a ranking of 156 countries in terms of Gender Gap Index, an index which among other things measures gender differences in participation in the country's economy and opportunities professionals available.

The most discussed and evident form of gender gap at work is that of salary : a difference that affects not only the actual pay, but also the perception that everyone has of their future earning possibilities.

We asked Italians who are currently not retired if they think they will be able to reach certain salary thresholds in their lifetime. The lowest amount was € 15,000 per year, which 40% of respondents say they already reach or exceed today, while 22% think they will succeed in the future.

Half of Italians (51%) earn or think they will earn up to € 20,000 per year. But if the gender of the worker is also taken into consideration, differences emerge: most men already reach or are sure to reach this figure one day (68%), while not even half of women have this certainty (37 %).

Going up to an annual income of € 60,000, about 15% of men get there or think they will, while three times less than the number of women who can say the same (5%).

Salary differences are only one aspect of the gender gap. The actual possibility of finding a job , or being able to keep it over the course of one's life, is a second less evident but very present side: the representation of genders within the Italian labor market is not equal .

In fact, for each income threshold, we have given the possibility to select the option "I can't work / I don't think I'll ever work ": only 3% of non-retired men have selected it, but the percentage rises to 14% in the case of women .

The experience lived at work changes for men and women

We presented a series of scenarios, or situations that can occur in the workplace, such as receiving positive ratings or awards, asking those who are currently employed if this has ever happened to them, and if so if they believe it has happened because of its own kind.

Enlarge the image

Promotions , salary increases and responsibility for following projects are the opportunities that more men than women claim to have had : respectively, 14%, 13% and 12% are the differences in the number of women who have found themselves in these situations.

And it is men themselves who recognize that they have gained certain advantages because of their gender - as well as promotions and responsibilities, even the possibility of expressing one's opinion in open discussions was obtained, in their opinion, thanks to being men.

In what situations are women most likely to find themselves at work?

(YouGov)

September 10, 2020

Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2020/09/10/gender-gap/

655-43-08/Poll

Why do Danes not want to pay for news?

The Danes' news consumption is large, but half of the adult population has never had a newspaper subscription and is not considering getting it either. YouGov has looked more closely at the reasons for the Danes' skepticism about paying for news.

According to YouGov Profiles, more than half of us (60%) regularly visit news sites and news apps, but many opt out of newspaper subscriptions.

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-08/DK_Newspaper_subscription.png

Every fourth Dane (23%) currently has a newspaper subscription. Among those aged 60+, 2 out of 5 (41%) have a subscription, while only 9% of the adult population under the age of 40 have a subscription. 27% of Danes have previously had a newspaper subscription.

Half of the population (50%) have never had a newspaper subscription, and out of them, 90% are not considering getting it in the future either.

The primary reasons for this are that Danes think subscriptions are too expensive, and that there is free news available.                   

Compared with our neighbors in Norway, Sweden and Finland, Denmark is the country with the fewest paid newspaper subscriptions. While almost half (45% and 42% respectively) of Norwegians and Swedes hold newspapers, this applies to 35% of Finns.

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-08/DK_Reason-not-to-subscribe.png

43% of those who do not pay for a newspaper subscription state the price as the reason. They think subscriptions are too expensive. The same proportion (41%) indicate that there are options available that are free.

28% of those who do not pay for a newspaper subscription prefer news broadcasts (TV or radio). It is especially women who do not have a newspaper subscription who are of this attitude (31% against 24% of men) as well as the population over 60 years (39%). 25% will not pay for news. It is especially the young people aged 18-29 who have this attitude (35%).

In general, however, a majority of Danes (58%) think that it is perfectly fine for news media to place articles behind a payment wall, so that the news is only available to subscribers.

(YouGov)

September 09, 2020

Source: https://yougov.dk/news/2020/09/09/hvorfor-vil-danskerne-ikke-betale-nyheder/

655-43-09/Poll

Most Britons sense things have taken a turn for the worse on coronavirus

YouGov’s COVID-19 trackers find a big rise in the number of people saying the pandemic situation is deteriorating

With coronavirus case numbers starting to increase once again, it looks like Briton may be about to experience a ‘second wave’ of the pandemic.

YouGov’s coronavirus trackers show that the public has been picking up on the signs. The majority of Brits (54%) now say they think that the coronavirus situation in the UK is getting worse, up more than twenty points on two weeks ago (31%).

Just a quarter (27%) still think the situation is improving, or entirely over.

Please note survey fieldwork was conducted on 7-8 September, prior to the Government’s announcement that social gatherings of more than 6 people would be banned in England.

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-09/UK%20covid%20situation%208%20Sep-01.png

The proportion of Britons who approve of the way the Government has been handling the crisis has fallen to its lowest level yet, at 37%. A majority (55%) say they have been managing the pandemic badly.

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-09/UK%20govt%20covid%20approval%208%20Sep-01.png

Despite this negativity, the proportion of people who say they are afraid of catching coronavirus remains much the same as it has since May, at 47%. YouGov’s mood tracker has also yet to detect a shift in the public’s emotions.

More faces are covered, but fewer hands are clean

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam saying that the recent increase in cases shows that the UK has relaxed too much, and the results of our trackers show that anti-coronavirus behaviours have indeed slackened.

While most Brits (56%) say they practice improved personal hygiene, this is down from a peak of 77% in early April. Similarly, the 43% of people taking care about what public objects they touch is down from a peak of 59% in mid-April.

The proportion of Brits wearing face masks remain high – having stabilised at about seven in ten – but this was only spurred by their use being made a legal requirement in shops in England.

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-09/UK%20face%20mask%20and%20hygiene-01.png

(YouGov)

September 10, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/health/articles-reports/2020/09/10/most-britons-sense-things-have-taken-turn-worse-co

655-43-10/Poll

Three in ten Brits (29%) prefer organic food

Data from YouGov Profiles reveals that those who prefer “natural” foodstuffs are less likely to eat meat, more likely to identify as “flexitarian”, and twice as likely to be vegetarians

YouGov Profiles data shows that three in ten (29%) Brits say they “prefer to serve organic and natural foods” to their families. But how does this attitude correspond with other culinary preferences and behaviours?

While seven out of ten members of Brits (70%) identify themselves as meat and poultry eaters, only a little over half (53%) of those who favour organic food do. And while 4% of the general public identify themselves as vegetarian, more than twice as many (9%) organic food fans say they’ve sworn off animal flesh.

It’s the same story with vegans, albeit in lower proportions (2% of the public; 4% of organic food eaters). Brits who prefer organic food are also six percentage points more likely to be flexitarian (15% general public; 21% organic food eaters).

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-09/organic.jpg

But does eating organic food have any correlation with other attitudes?

Four in ten (42%) Brits who prefer organic and natural food say they’re the sole grocery shoppers in their households. These Brits are also more likely to say they consider themselves healthy eaters (73% vs. 57% of the general public); that they like to look out for where their products are made or grown (72% vs. 50% of the public), and that if they have a choice they prefer to buy products made in their home country (72% vs. 58% of the public). They’re also a full 25 percentage points more likely to say that they make an effort to buy fair trade products (63% vs. 38% of the public), and most demonstrate a strong aversion to genetically modified food: 56% say they don’t buy food that is genetically modified, versus 38% of the general public.

What’s more, over four in ten (44%) say they only buy products from companies whose ethics and values align with their own – versus just a quarter (24%) of Brits overall.

(YouGov)

September 09, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/food/articles-reports/2020/09/09/three-ten-brits-29-prefer-organic-food

655-43-11/Poll

Three in ten Brits claim to have boycotted a clothing brand

Over two in five people (44%) believe worker exploitation is common in UK factories and a plurality think even high-end designers treat their production staff poorly

The pandemic has exposed poor conditions and exploitation in some UK factories. But only three in ten people (31%) have stopped buying clothes from a brand because of such a scandal.

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-09/Boycot-01-01.png

Women are more likely to vote with their wallet, with just over a third (35%) having stopped buying from an apparel company for this reason, while the same is true for just a quarter of men (26%).

While millennials and Gen Z’s are often criticised for being overly “woke”, there’s in fact little difference evident across age groups. A third of 18- to 24-year olds (33%) have boycotted a clothes brand, compared with three in ten people aged 55 and older (30%).  

People in social grade ABC1, meaning they tend to be professionals, are very slightly more likely to have stopped buying a fashion brand (33%) than those in group C2DE, who often do manual work, (28%).

Many Brits are still convinced exploitation is rare in the UK

The public are tied on whether worker exploitation, such as paying less than minimum wage and providing unsafe conditions, are common in UK factories or not. Two in five people (45%) believe it’s either fairly (38%) or very (7%) rare. A similar number (44%) say it’s fairly (36%) or very (8%) widespread.

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-09/1-01.png

Older people are the most cynical, with half of those aged 55 and over (51%) believing exploitation is prevalent, compared with about a third of 35- to 44-year-olds (35%) – the lowest of any group.

While Brits are split on the state of UK factories, a majority believe exploitation is common elsewhere in Europe (55%), including one in seven (14%) who think it’s very widespread. Likewise, nearly nine out of ten people say such practices are rife in the rest of the world, while only 2% believe they are rare.

Price matters… to an extent

Generally, people think pricier brands are more likely to treat their production staff well. But a plurality still believe clothes companies treat their workers poorly regardless of price.

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-09/type-01.png

Cheap high-street brands have the worst reputation, with two thirds of the public saying they treat their production workers fairly (40%) or very (24%) badly. Only one in eight (12%) believe they treat their staff well.

Higher end high street and mid-range designer brands fare slightly better. But a plurality of 44% still think they are bad towards toward their production workforce, while three in ten believe (28%) the contrary.  

Two in five Brits (39%) also take a dim view of how high-end designer brands treat their production employees, while 30% are more optimistic.

(YouGov)

September 09, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/consumer/articles-reports/2020/09/09/three-ten-brits-claim-have-boycotted-clothing-bran

655-43-12/Poll

Two thirds of Britons like seeing real-looking people in adverts

Only one in eight dislike it

According to YouGov Profiles, two thirds of Britons (66%) say they like seeing real-looking people in adverts. One in five Britons (21%) don’t have strong feelings about the topic, while 13% don’t like depictions of everyday Britons in adverts.

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-08/Real%20people%20in%20advertising-01.png

So what do people who appreciate a real-looking person in an advert like in advertising, generally?

Topping the list is that it is an advert being memorable, at 44%. Next is it making them laugh, at 35%, followed by “the products/services it is about” on 34%, and the creativity or originality of the advert, on 33%.

In terms of outdoor advertising, such people are most likely to see adverts on the side of buses (59%), on public transport (51%), and on trains (46%) and at bus stops (46%).

Asked where best to place an advert that they might see, they were most likely to say TV advertising (49%) and online (46%).

(YouGov)

September 08, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/consumer/articles-reports/2020/09/08/two-thirds-britons-seeing-real-looking-people-adve

655-43-13/Poll

How do restaurant-goers and homebodies compare?

The Eat Out to Help Out Scheme may have now ended, but over a quarter of Brits still say they’re ‘very likely’ to buy food or drinks from a restaurant or pub in the next 30 days

This group of restaurant-goers contrasts with around a fifth of Brits (22%) who say they definitely won’t be eating out in the next 30 days. YouGov data shows that these two groups mainly vary in terms of income, age and their attitudes to food.

People likely to eat out tend to be slightly better off, with a quarter (26%) having at least Ł500 in disposable income a month, compared with about a fifth of Brits who won’t be eating out (19%). Only 4% have no disposable income, while this is true for 11% of people not eating or drinking out.

People planning to dine out are more likely to be aged 25 to 39 (33% vs 15%), while over half of those who say they will not have food out are 55 and older (54% vs 28%).

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/30803/Untitled-3-01.png

Brits likely to eat out take a more indulgent view on food and are by their own admission less disciplined than their counterparts. They are more inclined to say they like trying new foods and cuisines (77% agree vs 58% of those who don’t expect to eat out) and admit to often treating themselves to unhealthy food (76% vs 59%).

Similarly, they’re more likely to snack between meals (67% vs 47%) and are also prone to ordering takeaways (45% vs 12%).

(YouGov)

September 10, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/food/articles-reports/2020/09/10/How-do-restaurant-goers-and-homebodies-compare

655-43-14/Poll

Sorry Dettol, but hardly anybody misses plastic plants

Recent advert lists what British workers are supposed to miss about the workplace – but is it correct?

Social media has been awash with pictures of a Dettol advert encouraging workers to be safe when returning to work. It asks workers to remember the things they miss about the office: workplace gossip, dressing smartly and… plastic plants.

YouGov asked Brits currently working from home whether they actually missed the naff plastic plants and the early mornings from the list, and if they consider their colleagues a “second family” like the Dettol marketing department suggests.

The ad also mentions seeing work colleagues and friends again, which two thirds (66%) of Brits say they do in fact miss, and another 49% also miss having face to face meetings as opposed to video calls.

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-11/Miss%20about%20office.jpg

Other elements of office life that Dettol reference are not quite as well missed, however. Just over a third (38%) say they miss office gossip, but 40% do not.

In fact, those working from home miss gossip more than eating lunch out (31%) and even occasionally leaving early (26%) - but 40% also pointed out that they don’t get to leave early at their workplace.

Only 15% of workers currently working from home say they miss getting dressed up for work, preferring the casual attire working at home affords, and even less miss jokes from the boss (13%). In fact, 52% of workers at home say they actively do not miss their manager’s attempts at comedy.

Dettol specially mention plastic plants in their advert, but only 7% of workers say they miss this classic office décor item. As naff as they are, they fare better than the smell of the office (5%) and the early morning alarm (4%).

Perhaps the oddest choice of phrase on the poster was “seeing your second family” in reference to colleagues. Despite 66% of those currently working from home missing their colleagues, that seems to only stretch so far.

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-11/second%20family.jpg

When asked, only 24% of Brits working from home say they would describe their colleagues and work friends in such a manner. The majority (70%) say they would not consider their work friends as a second family, with women working at home (28%) slightly more likely to describe their colleagues in such a way than men (21%).

(YouGov)

September 10, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/consumer/articles-reports/2020/09/11/sorry-dettol-hardly-anybody-misses-plastic-plants

655-43-15/Poll

Public supports government intervention on diet, health and advertising

The public think we, as individuals, have the most responsibility for ensuring we lead healthy lives.

  • 86% believe responsibility for healthy living lies with the individual, 71% believe the government has a role to play
  • There is majority support for having calories on menus and banning unhealthy food adverts before the watershed

In a new online survey by Ipsos MORI, over 8 in 10 (86%) of Britons say individuals have a responsibility to make sure people live healthy lives, including 62% who say they have a great deal of responsibility. Seven in ten (71%) say the Government has a responsibility to encourage healthy living. 

The public think we, as individuals, have the most responsibility for ensuring we lead healthy livesThere is broad support for government intervention in tackling obesity but that varies depending on the specific measure. There is majority support for putting calories on menus and banning adverts for particularly unhealthy foods before the 9pm watershed. 

Government intervention around obesity is more welcome in some areas than othersFurther to people believing that the government has a responsibility to make sure people lead healthy lives, the majority of people also believe that the Government has a responsibility to encourage people to lose weight to reduce the impact of COVID-19 amongst a host of measures that people believe that the Government should undertake.

Government has an important role to play in protecting people against COVID-19, including encouraging people to lose weightKelly Beaver, Managing Director of Public Affairs at Ipsos MORI said:

  • It is clear that people believe that Government has an important role to play in ensuring people lead healthy lives, which would support the government’s moves to address this. But there is less certainty about some of the measures that government might take to address the issue of obesity in society, with some measures garnering majority support but all of those polled having around 1 in 4 not having an opinion; suggesting the government has a way to go still, to convince people on the specific initiatives.

(Ipsos MORI)

September 07, 2020

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/public-supports-government-intervention-diet-health-and-advertising

655-43-16/Poll

Communicating Public Health: Conversations about the COVID-19 pandemic - Report 1

The first of four Communicating Public Health reports, published by Future Care Capital, shares insight from Ipsos MORI's analysis of social media activity during the pandemic.

In this research for Future Care Capital (FCC), Ipsos MORI harnesses the power of social media data to provide insight into the UK's lived experience of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first report in the Communicating Public Health series provides an overview of the methodology used throughout the research series, and a discussion of the key considerations for judging the utility of social media data. It also discusses what, based on social media activity, constitute the key announcements related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The subsequent reports in the series, to by published by FCC in the coming weeks, will be focused on public health messaging performance, conversations among the health and social care workforce and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the physical and mental health of social media users.

Key findings

  • Throughout the pandemic, the policy areas that generated the highest volumes of discussion on social media were those that affected the vast majority, if not all, of the general public. These included lockdown guidelines, testing and vaccines and the Government’s recovery strategy.
  • Conversations about policy areas that affected subsets of the population - including quarantine guidelines, shielding guidelines and social care – were less evident on social media. Together, these findings imply that social media is a poor tool for communicating with those who are most likely to be impacted by such policy announcements.
  • The data suggests that there is, at the very least, a symbiotic relationship between social media content posted by mainstream media outlets and that posted by members of the general public. It seems likely that a high level of mainstream media activity has the potential to propel conversation about key issues at the expense of others which receive less attention.
  • Two further characteristics were also evident within the formal announcements led by government and public health bodies. Firstly, that public health messages have to compete with, and can be derailed by, unplanned events. Secondly, that future public health messages will need to overcome a falling rate of discussion about coronavirus on social media if the announcements are to be widely heard.

Volume of COVID-19 related social media posts over time

Volume of COVID-19 related social media posts over time - Ipsos MORI

Commenting on the findings, Ipsos MORI Research Director Steven Ginnis said:

Social media data captures more than just a window into public opinion; this project has delivered a real-time log of the UK’s lived experience of the pandemic. The analysis of social media data has provided key lessons from how public opinion, media coverage, public health announcements and events constantly intertwined during the pandemic. While the research has its limitations because social media users are not representative of the UK population, understanding these dynamics will be a crucial tool for better health outcomes.

(Ipsos MORI)

September 07, 2020

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/communicating-public-health-conversations-about-covid-19-pandemic-report-1

655-43-17/Poll

Public confidence in using NHS is returning, but concerns persist among groups worst affected by COVID-19

New polling by Ipsos MORI for The Health Foundation shows public confidence in the NHS is returning, although concerns persist among groups worst affected by COVID-19.

New polling data from the Health Foundation and Ipsos MORI has found that overall public confidence in using NHS services is returning, with around three-quarters (77%) of people reporting they would be comfortable using a hospital – a significant increase from 52% in May.

However, the poll also found that concerns about using hospitals is greater among some of the groups worst affected by COVID-19, with more than one in four (28%) people from black and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds and more than a third (34%) of people with a disability saying they would feel uncomfortable about using their local hospital, compared with just over one in five overall (22%).

People from BAME backgrounds are also less likely to report having used a health service since the beginning of lockdown (36% compared to 42% of the population as a whole) and are more likely to have considered using a service for a health issue but decided not to (9% compared with 5% overall).

The survey shows that people feel more confident about using local GP services – with 89% saying they would feel comfortable and just 10% saying they would feel uncomfortable (down from 20% of people who reported feeling uncomfortable doing so in May).

Of those who would feel uncomfortable, the risk of catching or being exposed to COVID-19 was the most cited reason why (53% for GP services and 72% for hospitals)1.

(Ipsos MORI)

September 10, 2020

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/public-confidence-using-nhs-returning-concerns-persist-among-groups-worst-affected-covid-19

NORTH AMERICA

655-43-18/Poll

Americans Favor Saving Over Spending Until Vaccine

Despite challenging economic conditions brought on by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a slim majority of Americans (54%) say they are currently saving at least a little money. Yet in these uncertain times, they largely plan to keep saving rather than spending in the near term.

Among Americans who are currently able to save money, 76% are planning to continue to add to their savings in the next six months, 28% will purchase basic goods and services, 13% will pay for a vacation or personal travel, and 10% will pay off debts.

Americans' Plans for Spending Their Savings

What do you plan to do with your increased savings over the next 6 months? Select all that apply.

Americans saving a lot or a little

%

Continue to add to savings

76

Spend it on basic goods and/or services

28

Spend it on a future vacation/personal travel

13

Use it to pay off existing debt

10

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON-GALLUP ECONOMICS OF RECOVERY STUDY, AUG. 3-11, 2020

These readings are from the latest opt-in survey for the Franklin Templeton-Gallup Economics of Recovery Study conducted Aug. 3-11, after benefits from the coronavirus aid bill expired. Among those benefits were an additional $600 per week in unemployment assistance and a federal moratorium on evictions for not paying rent. Congress has yet to agree on a new relief package and is in recess until after Labor Day, while the U.S. unemployment rate remains near the highest on record.

Most of those who are adding to their savings are keeping at least some of that money liquid, as 79% say they are putting it in their checking or savings account. Far fewer say they have increased their contributions to a 401(k) or other retirement account, invested in the stock or bond market, put it into real estate, or invested in other assets.

How Americans Are Investing Their Savings

How have you invested your additional savings? Select all that apply.

Americans who are
adding to savings

%

Increased money in checking or savings account

79

Increased contributions to 401(k), IRA, Keogh or other retirement savings account

24

Invested in stock/bonds market

17

Invested in real estate

5

Invested in other assets (e.g., commodities, cryptocurrency, foreign currencies)

3

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON-GALLUP ECONOMICS OF RECOVERY STUDY, AUG. 3-11, 2020

Vaccine Will Affect Spending More Than Other COVID-19 Advancements

Gallup asked respondents to assess the impact that six potential COVID-19 advancements might have on their willingness to return to their normal spending level. These include the development of a vaccine, personally receiving a vaccine, having an effective treatment for COVID-19, seeing a reduction in cases of the disease or deaths from it, and having extra capacity at hospitals.

An effective COVID-19 vaccine ranks as most influential to Americans when they think about resuming their normal spending. About seven in 10 say the development of such a vaccine would have a minor or major impact on their willingness to start spending regularly. Receiving an effective vaccine would have about the same impact.

GRAPH ALT TEXT: Bar chart. Impact that six potential COVID-19 advancements might have on Americans' willingness to return to their normal spending level. These include the development of a vaccine (45% major impact, 26% minor), personally receiving a vaccine (43% major, 26% minor), having an effective treatment for COVID-19 (30% major, 34% minor) seeing a reduction in cases of the disease (26% major, 34% minor) or deaths from it (26% major, 33% minor), and having extra capacity at hospitals (18% major, 29% minor).

At the same time, 64% of Americans say a treatment that would reduce the probability of death by 50% for the sickest patients would affect their resumption of spending. Three in five U.S. adults say having no more than 10 COVID-19 cases in their local area over a 14-day period would affect their spending, and nearly as many say the same for having no new deaths in their area for 14 days. Fewer than half say extra hospital capacity would be a trigger for adjusting their spending.

Implications

With consumer spending traditionally driving approximately 70% of the U.S. economy, it appears that a broad and consistent economic recovery may depend primarily on the development of an effective vaccine. Having effective treatments or sharply reduced infection rates will provide some comfort to citizens, but not to the same degree as a vaccine. Until then, a majority of Americans plan to moderate their overall spending compared with pre-pandemic levels, which means unemployment and underemployment are likely to persist at elevated levels for the foreseeable future.

(Gallup USA)

September 09, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/318815/americans-favor-saving-spending-until-vaccine.aspx

655-43-19/Poll

Most Vulnerable Lack Internet Lifeline

Although the internet is keeping many people connected to work, school and each other during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gallup analysis shows that more than half a billion of the world's most-vulnerable people -- who were struggling to meet even their basic food and shelter needs and didn't have anyone to help them -- didn't have internet access either when the pandemic hit.

Results based on Gallup's new Basic Needs Vulnerability Index reveal a glaring digital divide between the highly vulnerable and the least vulnerable. Fewer than one in four people worldwide (24%) in the High Vulnerability group said they had access to the internet through a computer, mobile phone or another type of device, compared with nearly three in four adults (74%) in the Low Vulnerability group.

World's Most Vulnerable Lacked Internet Access Before COVID-19

% with access to the internet through a computer, mobile phone or other device

World

Developing economies

Developed economies

% Access

% Access

% Access

High vulnerability

24

21

77

Moderate vulnerability

46

42

84

Low vulnerability

74

68

91

GALLUP WORLD POLL, 2019

BASIC NEEDS VULNERABILITY INDEX

Gallup's Basic Needs Vulnerability Index gauges people's potential exposure to risk from economic and other types of shocks like a pandemic. Beyond measuring people's ability to afford food and shelter, this index also folds in whether people have personal safety nets -- people who can help them when they are in trouble.

People worldwide fall into one of three groups:

High Vulnerability: People in this group say there were times in the past year when they were unable to afford food or shelter or say they struggled to afford both and say they do not have family or friends who could help them in times of trouble.

Moderate Vulnerability: People in this group say there were times in the past year when they were unable to afford food or shelter or say they struggled to afford both, and they do have family or friends to help them in times of trouble.

Low Vulnerability: People in this group say there were not times in the past year when they struggled to afford food or shelter and say they do have family or friends to help them if they were in trouble.

Internet Access at New High Before Pandemic, but Not Equal

Heading into the pandemic, internet access worldwide had reached a new high of 56% in 2019, but access remained highly uneven between the digital haves and have-nots. In developed economies, 88% of people said they had access to the internet through some device, compared with 49% in developing economies.

However, the Basic Needs Vulnerability Index suggests the digital divide is not solely a development issue. In every region of the world, in developed and developing economies alike, those in the High Vulnerability group were the least likely to have access to the internet.

In developing economies, 21% in the High Vulnerability group had access, compared with 68% in the Low Vulnerability group. The divide was smaller in developed economies, but it was still present: 77% of the highly vulnerable had internet access versus 91% of the least vulnerable. It's important to point out, however, that internet access was still lower among the least vulnerable in developing economies (68%) than among the most vulnerable in developed economies (77%).

Highly Vulnerable With the Most Children at Home Are the Least Connected

While many parents around the world have had the option for their children to take classes online during the pandemic, this was available only for those with internet access. Globally, a slim majority (51%) of adults with children younger than 15 in the household reported having access to the internet, compared with 62% of those with no young children at home.

The highly vulnerable were at an even larger disadvantage. Among this group, the lack of internet connection increases as the number of young children present in the home rises. At the global level, 29% of the highly vulnerable who have no children younger than 15 said they had internet access. Access drops steadily with each additional child present in the home, but it is lowest at 16% among those with three or more young children.

Internet Access by Number of Children in the Household

Among the highly vulnerable

World

Developing economies

Developed economies

% Access

% Access

% Access

Number of children younger than 15

0

29

25

70

1

26

23

96

2

25

23

92

3+

16

15

89

GALLUP WORLD POLL, 2019

This effect is largely muted in developed economies, with internet access dropping off only marginally among those with three or more children in the home. In these economies, those with no children in the home were actually the least likely to have internet access, but this may reflect that these respondents were older. In developing economies, access to the internet drops from 25% among the highly vulnerable with no children younger than 15 in the home to 15% among those with three or more children.

Implications

The pandemic has sparked major changes in the technology industry, and the disruptions to education and the workplace will likely change the way people work and learn for generations. But clearly, hundreds of millions around the world -- if not more -- were not benefiting from these changes and will be at an even greater disadvantage on the other side of the pandemic.

If any good has come from it, the pandemic has exposed inequalities as more than a development issue and may be a wake-up call for governments and organizations to invest in technology -- particularly where they assumed it already existed.

(Gallup USA)

September 08, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/319037/vulnerable-lack-internet-lifeline.aspx

655-43-20/Poll

New Low in U.S. See Progress for Black Civil Rights

Fifty-nine percent of U.S. adults believe that civil rights for Black Americans have improved in their lifetime, the bleakest assessment Gallup has measured to date. Americans' views of civil rights progress began to sour in 2015 after several cases involving Black men being killed by White police officers gained national attention. The trend accelerated this year after the deaths of George Floyd and others.

Line graph. Fifty nine percent of Americans say civil rights for Black adults have improved in their lifetimes. This is down from percentages above 80% between 1995 and 2013, and percentages near 75% in 2015 and 2016.

Gallup first asked about Black civil rights in 1995, at which time 83% believed things had improved. By 2011, during Barack Obama's first term as president, a high of 89% held this view, including 50% who believed civil rights for Black Americans had "greatly improved."

Less than a decade later, 19% of Americans believe civil rights have greatly improved for Black adults, 40% say they have somewhat improved, 22% believe they have stayed the same, and 18% say they have worsened.

These results are based on a June 8-July 24 Gallup poll of more than 1,200 U.S. adults, including an oversample of 300 Black Americans. The survey was conducted amid ongoing protests for racial justice after Floyd's death, but before the recent police shooting that left Jacob Blake paralyzed in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Both White and Black Americans are less likely now than in the past to think that civil rights have improved. Currently, 65% of White adults and 52% of Black adults hold this view, down from 77% and 69%, respectively, in 2016.

Line graph. Sixty-five percent of White Americans and 52% of Black Americans say civil rights for Black adults have improved in their lifetimes. Both percentages are down from 77% and 69% respectively in 2016, and higher percentages in the past.

The poll also finds younger and older Americans diverging in their opinions on progress for Black civil rights. Whereas 74% of those aged 65 and older think civil rights for Black Americans have improved, 42% of adults under age 30 agree. Fifty-nine percent of adults between the ages of 30 and 64 think civil rights have improved.

Record High See New Civil Rights as Necessary

In 1993, leading up to the 30th anniversary of the March on Washington led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Gallup asked Americans whether new civil rights laws were needed to reduce discrimination against Black Americans. At that time, 38% said new laws were needed.

Now, for the first time in the nearly 30-year trend, a majority of Americans (61%) hold this view. The current figure is up from 40% five years ago and 21% in 2011.

Majorities of Black Americans have consistently said new civil rights laws are needed, but the 82% who say so now is the highest measured for the group to date. White Americans have always been less inclined to think new civil rights laws are needed, but now a majority of 53% do.

Line graph. Sixty one percent of US adults say new civil rights laws are needed to reduce discrimination against Black Americans. Prior to this year the percentage had not been higher than 40% and was as low as 21% in 2011. Black Americans have been consistently more likely than White Americans to view new civil rights laws as needed.

Majorities in all age groups believe new civil rights laws are needed, including 68% of adults aged 18 to 29, 66% of those aged 30 to 49, 55% of those aged 50 to 64, and 51% of those aged 65 and older.

Implications

Several high-profile incidents between Black Americans and the police have reignited the debate about the treatment of Black adults in the U.S. Americans are far less likely now than a few years ago to say civil rights for Black Americans have improved, and are much more likely to think new civil rights laws are needed to reduce discrimination.

The Democratic-led House of Representatives recently passed a bill to address the issue of police misconduct and racial discrimination. Senate Republicans drafted their own version of a police reform bill, but it did not advance to a vote because of Democratic opposition. Progress toward legislation has thus stalled over disagreements between the two sides, and it is unclear if Congress will renew its efforts to pass a bill this year.

(Gallup USA)

September 09, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/319388/new-low-progress-black-civil-rights.aspx

655-43-21/Poll

Gallup Vault: New Vaccines Not Wildly Popular in U.S.

In 1954, shortly after the newly developed polio vaccine became available, Dr. George Gallup interpreted Americans' reaction to it positively, saying, "The public itself is very optimistic about the effectiveness of the Salk test. By more than a 13-to-1 ratio, the people interviewed who expressed an opinion feel that the new vaccine will work."

To be precise, 53% thought the vaccine would work, 4% thought it would not, 33% were unsure and 10% were not familiar with the vaccine at all. That same year, Gallup found 60% of Americans saying they were willing to take the new vaccine themselves, while 31% said they would not.

This level of skepticism about a new vaccine has proven not unique to polio, as similar percentages of Americans have expressed reluctance about four subsequent vaccines measured over the years.

  • Three years later, in 1957, 20% said they would not take an Asian flu vaccine, with 15% saying they were unsure.
  • Even higher percentages said they would not take new vaccines for smallpox in 2002 (45% would not or were unsure) and the swine flu in 2009 (45%).
  • The 35% who now say they would not take a COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes available is right within the historical range.

Americans' Initial Reactions to Taking New Vaccines

Yes, would take

No, would not

Not sure

%

%

%

2020 Jul 20-Aug 2 (COVID-19)

65

35

--

2009 Aug 26 (Swine flu)

55

42

3

2002 Nov 11-14 (Smallpox)

55

35

10

1957 Aug 29-Sep 4 (Asian flu)^

65

20

15

1954 May 2-7 (Polio)^

60

31

9

^ Based on those who had heard/read about the vaccine (90% for polio; 92% for Asian flu)

GALLUP

Party Differences on Vaccines First Evident in 1957

When asked this year, 47% of Republicans said they would get vaccinated if a free and FDA-approved vaccine for COVID-19 were available, compared with 59% of independents and 81% of Democrats. Although wider than the previously seen partisan differences, today's gap in receptiveness to a COVID-19 vaccine did not appear out of the blue.

As early as 1957, Gallup found a gap in willingness to take a new vaccine by party affiliation. When asked about the Asian flu vaccine that year, 62% of Republicans were willing to take the new vaccine, along with 70% of Democrats. This pattern continued in 2002 and 2009. In 2002, 49% of Republicans expressed willingness to take the new smallpox vaccine, compared with 60% of Democrats. In 2009, 47% of Republicans and 62% of Democrats had a similar sentiment about the swine flu vaccine.

Americans' Initial Reaction to Taking New Vaccines, by Party Affiliation

% Yes, would get vaccine

Democrats

Independents

Republicans

Gap between
Democrats and Republicans

%

%

%

pct. pts.

2020 (COVID-19)

81

59

47

34

2009 (Swine flu)

62

56

47

15

2002 (Smallpox)

60

56

49

11

1957 (Asian flu)

70

60

62

8

1954 (Polio)

61

55

59

2

GALLUP

Significant Minority Unwilling to Take Vaccines

While medical authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, encourage vaccination, Americans' historical attitudes about vaccinations demonstrate that health professionals will likely face some resistance in persuading the public to take any new vaccine. Past opinion patterns also suggest that certain population subgroups will likely express more hesitation than others.

(Gallup USA)

September 08, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/vault/319976/gallup-vault-new-vaccines-not-wildly-popular.aspx

655-43-22/Poll

Voters’ Attitudes About Race and Gender Are Even More Divided Than in 2016

Growing share of Democratic voters say it’s a lot more difficult to be Black than White in the U.S.


During the 2016 presidential campaign, supporters of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton disagreed over nearly everything, including the extent to which Black adults in this country are disadvantaged because of their race and women because of their gender.

Today, these differences are even wider among voters who support Trump and those who back Joe Biden.

Across a range of political values – around race, gender and family, immigration and religion – there are stark contrasts between voters who support Trump and those planning to vote for Biden in November.

On some, such as attitudes about immigrants’ impact on American society, the differences between Trump and Biden supporters, while large, are no larger than the gap between Trump and Clinton voters four years ago.

But in opinions about race and gender, in particular, the divides are much wider. Among all registered voters, 44% say it is a lot more difficult to be a Black person than a White person in this country; 32% say it is a little more difficult, while 23% say it is no more difficult. The share of voters who say it is a lot more difficult to be Black has increased 9 percentage points since 2016.

This change has come entirely among supporters of the Democratic candidates: 74% of Biden supporters say it is a lot more difficult to be Black than White, while a smaller majority of Clinton supporters (57%) said this in 2016. Among Trump supporters, there has been virtually no change since 2016. Currently, 9% say it is a lot more difficult to be Black than White; 11% said this four years ago.

Sizable differences between Biden and Clinton supporters in views on race; not much change among Trump supportersThus the gap in opinions between Trump and Biden supporters in views of whether it is a lot more difficult to be Black (65 percentage points) is considerably larger than the difference between Trump and Clinton supporters in 2016 (46 points).

Biden supporters today also are more likely than Clinton supporters four years ago to say that White people benefit a great deal from advantages in society that Black people do not have. Currently, 34% of all registered voters say White people benefit a great deal from advantages that Black people lack, up from 23% in July 2016.

Again, the increase has come only among supporters of Democratic candidates: 59% of Biden supporters say White people benefit a great deal from societal advantages that Black people do not have. Fewer than half (40%) of Clinton supporters said this four years ago. Just 5% of Trump supporters say White people have a great deal of unfair advantages, which is virtually unchanged from 2016 (4%).

The survey by Pew Research Center, conducted July 27-Aug. 2 among 11,001 U.S. adults (including 9,114 registered voters) on the Center’s American Trends Panel, also finds growing divergence between the two camps on attitudes about gender and family: Biden voters today are now somewhat more likely than Clinton voters were to say women continue to face obstacles that make it harder for them to get ahead than men, while Trump supporters are now somewhat less likely to say this than they were in 2016.

Biden backers more likely than Clinton supporters in 2016 to say obstacles still hinder women’s advancementOpinion among all voters has changed little on whether women continue to face obstacles that make it harder for them to get ahead than men. Currently, 55% say there are still significant obstacles that make it more difficult for women than men to get ahead; 44% say the obstacles that once made it harder for women to get ahead are now largely gone.

Among Biden supporters, 79% say women still face significant obstacles that make it harder for them to advance; a smaller majority of Clinton supporters (72%) expressed this view in 2016. By contrast, a somewhat smaller share of Trump supporters express this view today (26%) than did so four years ago (31%).

While stark divides between Trump and Biden supporters are evident on two other themes that were central to the 2016 campaign – views of immigrants and Islam – these divides are roughly comparable to the divides seen between Trump and Clinton voters in 2016.

An increasing share of registered voters – Trump and Biden supporters alike – say the growing number of newcomers to the country strengthens American society. In the new survey, 60% say this, while 37% say this threatens the nation’s customs and values. In 2016, opinion was divided: 50% said increasing numbers of newcomers to the U.S. were more of a threat to American customs and values, while 46% said they strengthened society.

Shifting attitudes, persistent divisions in views on immigration and IslamOnly about a third of Trump supporters (32%) say immigrants do more to strengthen society, but this is a 13 percentage point increase from 19% in 2016. Biden supporters are more likely than Clinton supporters four years ago to say the growing number of newcomers strengthens society (84% vs. 71%).

There also has been a shift across both the Republican and Democratic coalitions in views of whether Islam is more associated with violence than other religions. Today, 51% of voters say the Islamic religion does not encourage violence among its believers more than other religions, while 45% say it does. Four years ago, a 54% majority said Islam was more likely than other religions to encourage violence among its followers.

Most Trump supporters (72%) continue to associate Islam with violence, though the share saying this has declined 8 points since 2016. An even larger majority of Biden supporters (74%) than Clinton supporters (63%) say Islam does not encourage violence more than other religions.

Biden, Trump coalitions diverge over perceptions of structural racism

Overall, 44% of Americans now say that it is a lot more difficult to be a Black person in the U.S. than it is to be a White person, while 32% say it is a little more difficult and 23% say it is no more difficult. The share saying it is a lot more difficult to be Black than White is now 9 percentage points higher than it was in the summer of 2016.

Since 2016, more voters – particularly Democrats – say it’s more difficult to be Black than White in U.S.But while overall views have shifted, the shift has come exclusively from within the Democratic coalition. The attitudes of Trump supporters today look very similar to attitudes of Trump supporters four years ago: 45% of Trump voters now say that it is no more difficult to be a Black person in the U.S. than to be a White person, while 44% say Black people have it a little more difficult. Only about one-in-ten Trump supporters say that Black people have it a lot more difficult than White people.

Biden’s backers, on the other hand, are substantially more likely today than Clinton’s backers were in 2016 to say that it is a lot more difficult to be Black than White (74% today vs. 57% in 2016).

But while overall views have shifted, the shift has come exclusively from within the Democratic coalition. The attitudes of Trump supporters today look very similar to attitudes of Trump supporters four years ago: 45% of Trump voters now say that it is no more difficult to be a Black person in the U.S. than to be a White person, while 44% say Black people have it a little more difficult. Only about one-in-ten Trump supporters say that Black people have it a lot more difficult than White people.

Biden’s backers, on the other hand, are substantially more likely today than Clinton’s backers were in 2016 to say that it is a lot more difficult to be Black than White (74% today vs. 57% in 2016).

Generation gap widens over perceptions of whether it is more difficult to be Black than White in the U.S.Younger cohorts and those who support Democratic candidates for president have shifted most in these views over the past four years. White voters and those who support Trump have moved least.

In 2016, there were only modest generational differences on the question of whether it is more difficult to be Black than White. There is currently a wider generational gap on this question – with a majority of Millennial voters (55%) saying this compared with 44% of Generation X voters, 37% of Boomer voters and 39% of Silent Generation voters.

Across racial and ethnic groups, growing shares now say it is more difficult to be Black than White in the country, though the overall change is more pronounced among Black voters than White or Hispanic voters. However, this largely reflects the partisan leanings of these groups. Within the Democratic coalition the shift has been similar across racial and ethnic groups.

Most Biden voters, fewer Trump voters say White people have societal advantages Black people do notThe pattern of opinion on the question of whether White people benefit from societal advantages Black people do not have is largely parallel, with a larger share of voters now saying that White people benefit a great deal from advantages in society that Black people don’t have. While Biden’s supporters are substantially more likely to say that White people have advantages than Clinton supporters were in 2016 (59% today, 40% then), just 5% of Trump supporters say this today – little different than the 4% who said this in 2016.

Though both Black and White voters are now more likely to say White people benefit from societal advantages than they were in 2016, there remain wide racial differences in these views – even taking partisanship into account. About eight-in-ten Black Biden voters (81%) say White people benefit a great deal from advantages that Black people don’t have, up from 64% among Clinton’s Black supporters in 2016. By comparison, about half (51%) of White Biden supporters currently say this, up from 29% among White Clinton supporters in 2016.

Views about gender and family increasingly divide the coalitions

Since 2016, a wider gap between Democratic, GOP voters over whether women continue to face barriersOverall, a narrow majority of voters say that women today still face significant obstacles that make it harder for them to get ahead than men (55%), while fewer (44%) say that obstacles that once made it harder for women to get ahead are now largely gone.

These overall views are little changed from 2016, but the already wide gap between the Democratic and Republican coalitions is now even wider.

Today, 72% of Trump voters say that obstacles that once made it harder for women are now largely gone, up from 67% in 2016. By contrast, just 20% of Biden voters currently say this – a modest decline from the 26% among Clinton voters in 2016.

Women supporters of each candidate remain somewhat more likely than men to say that significant obstacles still exist for women, but the political divide in these views is far greater than the gender gap.

Fewer voters now say society is better off if marriage and children are prioritizedWhen asked about societal priorities around family, voters are somewhat less likely to say that society is better off if people make marriage and having children a priority than they were four years ago (36% today, 42% in 2016). As was the case in 2016, a slim majority of Trump’s voters this year say this (55% today, 57% in 2016). But Biden voters are slightly more likely today to say that society is just as well off if people have priorities other than marriage and children than Clinton voters were in 2016 (77% today, 69% in 2016).

While stark divides remain over immigration, a smaller share of both GOP and Democratic voters see newcomers as a threat to American values

Majority of voters say growing number of newcomers to the U.S. strengthens American societyIn 2016, some of the largest issue divides between Trump and Clinton supporters were around attitudes about the nation’s growing racial and ethnic diversity and immigration. These views had been some of the key distinguishing characteristics of Trump’s strongest supporters in his path to the GOP nomination earlier that year.

As in 2016, there continue to be stark differences in these views – but these gaps have not been growing, and voters across the political spectrum have shifted in a more liberal direction in this domain.

In 2016 voters were about evenly divided in the share saying that the growing number of newcomers strengthens American society (46%) and the share who said they threaten traditional American customs and values (50%). Today, six-in-ten American voters (60%) say that newcomers strengthen American society and 37% say they threaten traditional customs and values.

Supporters of both major party candidates this year are more likely than 2016 supporters to have positive views of immigrants to the United States, but the gap between supporters of the Republican and Democratic candidates is little different than it was four years ago. Today, more than eight-in-ten Biden supporters (84%) say the growing share of newcomers in the U.S. strengthens American society, up from 71% among Clinton supporters in 2016. By comparison, a much smaller share of Trump supporters (32%) view immigration as strengthening society. Still, that is up from just 19% among Trump supporters in 2016.

Views of Islam largely divide the Trump-Biden coalitions

Most Trump voters say Islam encourages violence more than other faiths; Biden voters overwhelmingly say it does notThe trajectory on views about Islam is similar to that of newcomers from abroad.

Four years ago, a narrow majority (54%) of voters said that Islam was more likely than other religions to encourage violence among its followers. Today, the balance of opinion has shifted in the other direction, with 45% of voters saying that Islam is more likely to encourage violence and 51% saying it does not encourage violence more than other religions.

As was the case with attitudes about immigration, the gulf between Trump voters and Biden voters remains as wide as it was four years ago between supporters of Clinton and Trump, even as views in both coalitions have shifted.

Today, roughly three-quarters of Biden backers (74%) say Islam does not encourage violence more than other religions, up from 63% of Clinton’s supporters in 2016.

By contrast, just 23% of Trump’s supporters reject the assertion that Islam is more encouraging of violence than other religions, while 72% say Islam is more likely to encourage violence than other religions. In 2016, fully 80% of Trump supporters said Islam encouraged more violence.

(PEW)

September 10, 2020

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2020/09/10/voters-attitudes-about-race-and-gender-are-even-more-divided-than-in-2016/

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

655-43-23/Poll

Public Misgivings of Private Affairs: Trust in Private Institutions of the Arab World

Many entities have long suggested that the private sector is the key to economic transformation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – including foreign governments, international agencies, and economic scholars. Even before the uprisings of 2011, they argued that the private sector has a crucial role to play in reconstructing the strained (if not broken) social contracts of the MENA region. Different theories were put forward for the role that the private sector has historically played and ought to play in the future. Some scholars claim that the absence of a true private sector precipitated the Arab Spring, distinguishing between crony capitalism and independent private enterprise. Others have called out the MENA private sector as being responsible for its own poor reputation, having had non-transparent relationships with government and for pursuing only partial liberalization. Despite these differences, there is a broader agreement among academic and policy commentators that the rentier system, which has pervaded most MENA countries and made the state the center of economic activity, is all but dead and that the private sector must be the economic engine in the future of the MENA region.

As I have written previously about trust in public institutions, be they representative or executive, I thought it would be fruitful to bring in private institutions to the discussion. According to Arab Barometer Wave 5 data, about a quarter of all respondents (26 percent) trust domestic businesspeople, representing a small minority of respondents. Citizens are most likely to trust businesspeople in Yemen (50 percent) and least likely to do so in Libya (14 percent). However, levels of trust are relatively low across all surveyed countries: 38 percent in Egypt, 30 percent in Sudan, 28 percent in Palestine, 24 percent in Morocco, 23 percent in Iraq, 21 percent in Jordan and Tunisia, 20 percent in Lebanon, and 19 percent in Algeria.

https://www.arabbarometer.org/wp-content/uploads/Business-ppl.png

Levels of trust are higher overall for key private institutions. For example, on average 40 percent citizens across MENA trust private banks. Only in Yemen (71 percent) does a majority trust private banks, whereas minorities trust them in the remaining countries: 47 percent in Egypt, 44 percent in Morocco, 41 percent in Palestine, 39 percent in Lebanon, 38 percent in Jordan, 37 percent in Tunisia, 35 percent in Algeria and Sudan, 29 percent in Iraq, and 20 percent in Libya.

https://www.arabbarometer.org/wp-content/uploads/Q201_C38-740x529.png

In other sectors in which private institutions are active and visible, such as education and healthcare, levels of trust are higher. On average, 44 percent of citizens in MENA trust private universities, including majorities in Yemen (75 percent) and Palestine (61 percent). Elsewhere, the figures ranged from 50 percent in Lebanon to 46 percent in Morocco, 45 percent in Iraq and Egypt, 39 percent in Jordan, 35 percent in Tunisia and Sudan, 26 percent in Algeria, and 19 percent in Libya.

https://www.arabbarometer.org/wp-content/uploads/Q201_C39-740x529.png

Levels of trust in private hospitals are the highest among the types of private institutions included in the survey. Overall, 48 percent in MENA trust private hospitals, including majorities in Yemen (65 percent), Egypt (61 percent), Sudan (57 percent), Palestine (53 percent) and Jordan (51 percent). Meanwhile, substantial minorities say the same in the remaining countries, ranging from 49 percent in Morocco, to 43 percent in Algeria, 42 percent in Lebanon, Tunisia and Iraq, respectively, and finally 26 percent in Libya.

https://www.arabbarometer.org/wp-content/uploads/Q201_C37-740x529.png

As such, perhaps the first point of departure should be to differentiate between private sector institutions according to the industry in which they are active. The survey results reveal that the business community and financial sector enjoy lower levels of trust than private healthcare and education institutions. Thus, when scholars speak of lower trust in the private sector, they need to specify which private sectors institutions they are examining.

Existing accounts can help in dissecting the low trust in the business community. In much of the MENA region, businesspeople are viewed as crony capitalists who are non-transparent, seek quick gains, and invest little in their communities – whether through training effective cadres or through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. Indeed, as Ishac Diwan and Mustapha Nabli have argued, perceptions of corruption in business mirror perceptions of corruption overall. At the same time, Diwan and Nabli argue for the analytical separation between businesspeople and financial institutions, as trust levels in both are weakly correlated. The Arab Barometer survey results, in part, support this finding given that trust in private financial institutions are uniformly higher across the MENA region.

Additional research is needed to understand the basis for higher trust in private healthcare and education institutions. Recent evidence from Jordan suggests that, while the citizenry may prefer going to these private institutions, the issue of affordability remains an important barrier. Many Jordanian families are in fact being pushed out of the market for private education and driven to a reeling public education whose primary workforce has most recently been under state attack. At the same time, the recent experience in dealing with COVID-19 provides an opportunity to critically evaluate the public health infrastructure and the ability of hospitals (both private and public) to deal with the pandemic. As in other trust metrics, it is difficult to generalize across the entire region, but these results make clear that levels of trust in the private sector vary across sectors. Scholars of the MENA, foreign governments, and international agencies would be advised to consider these differences as they promote economic liberalization in the region.

(Arab Barometer)

September 10, 2020

Source: https://www.arabbarometer.org/2020/09/public-misgivings-of-private-affairs-trust-in-private-institutions-of-the-arab-world/

655-43-24/Poll

COVID-19: how do Europeans and Americans think their efforts to counter the disease compare?

Britons, Spaniards and Americans are most likely to think they have done less well than others

At the beginning of the summer YouGov revealed that Europeans believed the UK had lagged behind them in its coronavirus response – and that Britons agreed with this analysis.

Now the results of a follow-up study show how and where attitudes have changed.

Europeans continue to see Britain as the sick man of Europe, with all six nations believing by wide margins that their own country has handled coronavirus better.

Britons tend to agree, although they have become slightly more assured of the UK’s pandemic response, with small numbers shifting toward the idea that Britain’s response has been superior since the last survey was conducted.

https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/inlineimage/2020-09-09/Eurotrack%20COVID%20grid%20August-01.png

The most notable differences between the two surveys can be seen in the US and Italy.

Italians are far more likely to think their nation’s handling of the outbreak has been better than other nations than they were in May. For instance, in our first study the Italian response compared to France was +33 (42% thought they had done better than France, compared to 9% who thought Italy had done better). It now stands at +60.

There have been similarly large increases in attitudes compared to the South Korean, German, Spanish and Swedish performances.

In America, by contrast, people are even more likely than they already were to think the American response has been inferior to that of other countries.

In May Americans thought they had handled coronavirus better than only Italy, Spain and China. Today they don’t think they have done better than any country.

In fact, there has been a double digit drop in net belief that America has performed better than almost every country listed. The largest change is against Italy, having fallen from +13 in May to -15 now.

(YouGov)

September 09, 2020

Source: https://yougov.no/news/2020/09/09/covid-19-how-do-europeans-and-americans-think-the/

655-43-25/Poll

Despite Pandemic, Many Europeans Still See Climate Change as Greatest Threat to Their Countries

Spread of infectious diseases is top concern in the U.S., UK, Japan and South Korea as global economic concerns grow

In a year when the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated news headlines around the world, it is perhaps unsurprising to discover that majorities in 14 countries surveyed this past summer see the spread of infectious disease as a major threat to their countries.

Chart shows across 14 countries polled, climate change and infectious diseases top list of global threatsBut across the European countries included in the study, climate change remains the top-most perceived threat, even as people there also express grave concern about the risks posed by infectious disease.

Overall, medians of roughly seven-in-ten across the 14 economically advanced countries surveyed say that global climate change and the spread of infectious diseases are both major threats. Medians of six-in-ten or more cite security concerns – such as terrorism, cyberattacks from other countries and the spread of nuclear weapons – as major threats.

In terms of relative rankings, climate change outpaces or ties infectious disease as the most frequently mentioned “major threat” in eight of 14 countries polled, including seven of the nine European countries surveyed. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, five countries, including the United States, name the spread of disease as the foremost threat. People in two countries, Australia and Denmark, put cyberattacks as the preeminent threat.

Chart shows majorities most consistently cite climate change, spread of infectious diseases as threats to their country; relatively few mention large-scale migration

Fewer people in the countries surveyed are concerned about global poverty, long-standing conflict between countries or ethnic groups, or large-scale migration. Several years ago, the large numbers of refugees leaving places like Iraq and Syria were considered a top threat by many in Italy and the United Kingdom. Today, in 11 of the 14 countries surveyed, the movement of large numbers of people from one country to another is seen as the least concerning threat among the nine threats tested.

With the global economy hard hit by COVID-19 related disruptions, concerns about the global economy have increased substantially in most of the countries since the question was last asked in 2018. Majorities in 10 of the 14 countries polled describe the condition of the global economy as a major threat.

Chart shows sharp increases in share who see the world’s economic situation as a major threat

Chart shows older people more concerned about terrorism, cyberattacks and nukesSince 2016, the perception of cyberattacks as a major threat has increased in a number of countries, including Australia, the Netherlands, Japan and Canada.

Broadly speaking, older people across the 14 countries are more concerned by security threats. In the case of terrorism, for instance, a median of 72% among those ages 50 and older say it is a major threat, compared with 53% among those who are 18 to 29. Similar age gaps appear in concerns about cyberattacks and the spread of nuclear weapons.

Women tend to be more concerned about most of the various threats tested, especially climate change and terrorism, but also the spread of infectious disease and global poverty.

Chart shows pessimism about national economies tied to concerns about global economyIdeologically, in most countries, those on the political left tend to be more worried about climate change than those on the right, while those on the right voice greater concern over terrorism and large-scale migration.

And when it comes to the global economy, those who say the economy in their country is doing poorly or are concerned about the future of their economy are more likely to see the condition of the global economy as a major threat.

These are among the findings of a new Pew Research Center survey of adults conducted by telephone between June 10 and Aug. 3, 2020, in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. The margin of error varied by national sample from plus or minus 3.1 percentage points to plus or minus 4.2 points. For details on the number of interviews, sampling design and languages for the survey, see the Methodology.

Global threats

Chart shows majorities see climate change and infectious disease transmission as major threatsMajorities in all 14 countries surveyed agree that global climate change and the spread of infectious diseases pose major threats to their country. Concern about climate change is especially high in Spain, France, Italy, South Korea and Japan, with at least eight-in-ten in each country describing it as a major threat.

The share who see global warming as a major threat is significantly higher today in nine of the 10 countries the Center has tracked over the past seven years. For instance, in the UK, 71% now say global climate change is a major threat, compared with 48% when the question was first asked in 2013 – an increase of 23 percentage points. Concern, however, has recently leveled off: In the UK and other countries tracked, worries about climate change have changed little since 2018.

Chart shows women more likely than men to see climate change as a major threatIn all countries surveyed, those on the ideological left are more likely than those on the right to consider global climate change a major threat. In nine countries, women are more likely than men to see global climate change as a major threat.

Majorities in each of the countries polled also see the spread of infectious diseases as a major threat. Heightened concern is especially evident in South Korea and Japan, where around nine-in-ten consider the infectious diseases a major threat. About eight-in-ten also hold this opinion in Spain and the U.S., the latter of which continues to have the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world.

Concerns about the spread of infectious diseases do not vary significantly by income or educational attainment in most countries. Women, however, are generally more concerned about the threat of disease than men in most of the countries surveyed.

Notably, in most countries, those who believe their national government did not handle the current pandemic well are not more likely to see the spread of infectious disease as a major threat.

Security threats

Chart shows most people see terrorism, cyberattacks and the spread of nuclear weapons as major threatsPeople across the 14 countries surveyed have high concerns about terrorism, cyberattacks from other countries and the spread of nuclear weapons.

Medians of nearly two-thirds say terrorism (66%) and cyberattacks (65%) pose major threats to their country, while roughly six-in-ten (61%) say the same about the spread of nuclear weapons. In nine countries, those on the ideological right are more likely than those on the left to say that terrorism is a major threat to their country.

In prior years, Pew Research Center had asked about the threat posed by specific groups, such as the Islamic militant group known as ISIS. Public worries about the threat posed by ISIS were widespread. Similarly, in 2020 approximately half or more in 12 of the 14 countries polled describe terrorism as a major threat, including about three-quarters or more in France (80%), Japan (77%) and Spain (74%).

Cyberattacks are a pronounced concern in several countries surveyed, including Australia (70%) and Denmark (66%), where they are the most frequently mentioned major threat. Cyberattacks are also the second-most common major threat response in South Korea, the U.S., the Netherlands and Germany among the nine threats tested on the survey.

Worries about cyberattacks have quickly intensified in some countries. Since 2016, the share of Australians describing such attacks as a major threat has grown from 47% to 70%. Double-digit increases over the same period can also be observed in Netherlands (up 13 percentage points), Japan (+12 points) and Canada (+10 points).

The proliferation of nuclear weapons often trails terrorism and cyberattacks as a perceived security threat. Exceptions to this pattern include Japan (87% say this is a major threat) and Italy (73%). Among the countries polled, Danes are the least concerned about the spread of nuclear arms (35%). In seven of the countries, women are more likely than men to say the spread of nuclear weapons is a major threat.

Chart shows older age groups are more concerned about security issues

Across the three security risks tested, people ages 50 and older are more likely than younger adults to say each is a major threat. For example, in the U.S., 80% of those 50 and older say terrorism is a top threat, compared with only 51% of 18- to 29-year-olds. Similar divides occur on the question of cyberattacks and the spread of nuclear weapons in a majority of countries polled.

Economic threats

Chart shows people are concerned about world economy, but less so about povertyThe International Monetary Fund projects that the global economy will contract in 2020 by 4.9%. Across the 14 countries polled, a median of roughly six-in-ten would seem to share this gloomy outlook, describing the condition of the global economy as a major threat. South Koreans are the most concerned – more than eight-in-ten (83%) describe the global economic situation as a major threat. Least worried are Danes and Swedes (each 40%).

Overall, concerns about global poverty trail worries about the overall global economy. A median of 53% say that global poverty poses a major threat to their country. The French and Spanish show the greatest concern, with about three-quarters in each country describing global poverty as a major threat.

Chart shows elevated concerns about world economyOpinions about the condition of the global economy have shifted significantly in recent years. In nearly every country where the question was also posed in 2018, the share who feel threatened by the world economic situation has increased by at least 10 percentage points. This shift has been most pronounced in the UK, where 65% now say the condition of the global economy is a major threat, compared with 41% who held this view two years ago – a 24 percentage point increase. Shifts of at least 20 points can also be observed in Japan (+22 points), which experienced its greatest fall on record in gross domestic product, and France (+21 points), where the GDP contracted by 13.8% in the second quarter of 2020.

Those who say the current economic situation in their country is bad are more likely than those who think the situation is good to see the condition of the world economy as a major threat to their country. For example, in Belgium, 64% of those who think the current economic situation is bad say the international economic situation is a major threat, compared with 41% of those who positively evaluate the Belgian economy.

Similarly, those who think that the economic situation in their country will worsen in the next 12 months are also more likely to look at the condition of the world’s economy as a major threat. In Belgium, for example, 64% of people who think the national economy will worsen also see the world economy as a major threat. By comparison, 50% of Belgians who expect the economy to stay the same see the global economy as a major threat, as do 46% who expect the Belgian economy to improve.

In general, those ages 50 and older are more likely than their younger counterparts to see global poverty as a major threat to their country. For example, in the Netherlands, 61% of those 50 and older see global poverty as a major threat, while only 35% of those ages 18 to 29 say the same. In many countries, women, those with less education and those with lower incomes are more likely to classify global poverty as a major threat.

Social threats

Chart shows few concerned about mass migrationThe survey also asks about ethnic or international conflict and large-scale migration. In most countries, no more than half see either issue as a major threat to their country. Only in South Korea and France do clear majorities say that long-standing conflicts between countries or ethnic groups constitute a major threat. For the most part, those with lower incomes and less education are more inclined to see long-standing conflicts between countries or ethnic groups as major threats.

With the exception of South Korea (52%), fewer than half describe large-scale migration as a major threat. Concern about the movement of large numbers of people from one country to another are generally more prevalent among those 50 and older. In Belgium, for instance, 49% of those 50 and older see immigration as a major threat, whereas only 29% of 18- to 29-year-olds say the same.

Chart shows those on the political right more concerned about mass migrationIndividuals with a secondary education or less are often more likely to see large-scale migration as a major threat, as are people on the right of the political spectrum.

For example, 52% of those in the U.S. who describe themselves as conservative say that the large numbers of people moving from one country to another are a major threat, versus just 17% among self-described liberals. And in Sweden, half of those on the ideological right see large-scale migration as a major threat, compared with only two-in-ten of those on the political left. In all, significant ideological differences of this nature appear in all countries surveyed but Spain. (Political ideology was not asked in Japan.)

(PEW)

September 09, 2020

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2020/09/09/despite-pandemic-many-europeans-still-see-climate-change-as-greatest-threat-to-their-countries/