Most Say They Are Concerned About Global Health
WASHINGTON—October 19, 2011—More than half (58%) of California residents think spending money on global health research is important for the state's economy and 66% say global health is an issue about which they should be concerned, according to a new statewide poll commissioned by Research!America.
With the largest economy of any U.S. state and the 10th largest economy in the world, California is one of the nation's global health research powerhouse states. In 2010, California received $3.3 billion in National Institutes of Health research funding-more than any other state-which helped employ more than 62,000 people in the state. California ranked number one in NIH funding in 2010. California's global health sector supports 350, 000 high-quality jobs and generated $19.7 billion in wages in 2007.
Californians also recognize that global health is intricately tied to America's health. Nearly three-quarters of California residents (72%) are concerned that infectious diseases elsewhere in the world will impact the U.S.; 70% think Americans should be concerned about global diseases like malaria, dengue fever and cholera; and 88% think it is important for the U.S. to conduct global health research to prevent drug resistance around the world. Rightfully so: the state draws thousands of international travelers each day, making it critical to prevent global diseases from entering the U.S. through California's gateways.
Research!America's chair, former Congressman John Edward Porter, said: "Thanks to its global economic position and its dynamic research enterprise, California serves as a model for all states. It has a rich environment for research collaborations that fuel its economy and foster innovative medical advances to help maintain U.S. competitiveness and improve health in the U.S. and around the world."
"Californians' strong support for global health research should send a clear message to local and national policy makers about the critical need to prioritize further investment in this area," said Research!America's CEO Mary Woolley.
Further findings from the California poll include:
- 83% of Californians say it is important for the federal government to be involved with product development partnerships (PDPs) that fill gaps in global health research and development.
- 70% believe that Americans will be better off if the U.S. government invests in global health research.
- 70% think it is important for the state to offer incentives for companies to invest in research to improve health globally.
- 85% say it is important that the federal government play a role in research for prevention and wellness.
- 78% are concerned that American troops overseas are exposed to global diseases.
- 79% think American civilians benefit from health research conducted by the U.S. military.
For more information about global health R&D in California, visit http://www.researchamerica.org/gh_california.
About the poll: Research!America commissioned Charlton Research Company to conduct an online a survey of 1,200 adults in California in July 2011. The sample is proportionate to the state's demographics, including gender, age and ethnicity, with a sampling error of ±2.8%. The poll is available online at http://www.researchamerica.org/uploads/CAGlobalPoll.pdf.