Ailing Views of U.S. Healthcare

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

The voice of the world in numbers

Dec. 17, 2024

Welcome to Front Page, where we break down Gallup's latest insights on our constantly evolving world. Here are the five insights you shouldn't miss this week:

1. Ailing Views of U.S. Healthcare

Line Chart: Americans' views of U.S. healthcare quality, 2001-2024.

The Data: Americans' positive rating of the quality of healthcare in the U.S. is now at its lowest point in Gallup's trend dating back to 2001. A mere 44% of U.S. adults view the nation's healthcare quality as excellent or good, down by 10 percentage points since 2020.

And Yet: Americans' rating of the quality of their own healthcare is higher, at 71%, illustrating a disconnect between their personal experiences and perceptions of national conditions.

Latest Data

2. Americans Find Healthcare Costs Hard to Swallow

Line Chart: Americans' satisfaction with cost of healthcare in U.S., 2001-2024.

The Data: Few Americans are satisfied with the total cost of healthcare in the U.S., with this year's 19% on the low end of what Gallup has measured since 2001.

Partisan Similarities: Satisfaction with the cost of healthcare in the U.S. is low on both sides of the political aisle, with 15% of Republicans and 19% of Democrats satisfied. Measures from the past three years buck the trend of Republicans typically being more satisfied than Democrats with the cost of healthcare — except for 2014 through 2016, the first few years of the Affordable Care Act's implementation.

The Data: Nineteen percent of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, edging up from 16% in October and closer to September's reading of 20%.

Partisan Ratings: The latest data, collected in November, show low approval of Congress among Democrats (24%), independents (21%) and Republicans (12%).

Historical Trends

4. Satisfaction Down, Job Hunting Up

Line Chart: Overall satisfaction and intent to leave, among U.S. employees.

The Data: Employee satisfaction in the U.S. has not recovered from its drop in 2022, when only 18% reported being “extremely satisfied” with their employer — significantly lower than the 26% to 28% range observed from 2014 to 2021.

Active Job Seeking: Currently, 51% of U.S. workers are either watching for or actively seeking a new job. This is up by seven points from 2020. Unlike the “Great Resignation,” many frustrated employees are struggling to make the leap to a new employer in a cooling job market and economy marred by inflation. Instead, they are left feeling stuck with their discontent.

Range Plot: Decline in Americans' confidence in their courts ranks among 10 largest worldwide since 2006.

The Data: Americans' confidence in their nation's judicial system and courts fell to a record-low 35% in 2024 after several years of eroding trust. The 24-point drop in confidence since 2020 is one of the largest country-level declines measured globally since 2006.

Double Dip: When looking at trends in Americans' confidence in their judiciary by whether they approve or disapprove of U.S. leadership, it's clear that confidence in the courts has crumbled among supporters and detractors alike. Those who disapprove of the country's leadership under Joe Biden have expressed less confidence each year since he took office, while supporters consistently expressed high confidence until their faith plummeted in 2024. This year marks the first time that confidence in the courts has dropped below 50% among both those who approve and those who disapprove of the country's leadership.

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