Admitting past mistakes would build trust in public health
Core finding
About a third of Americans (35%) say the public health field could best build greater trust by publicly acknowledging its past missteps and changing practices based on what it learns, according to a November 2025 Verasight survey.
Another 23% point to building community partnerships that emphasize learning, and 15% say they don't know. Smaller shares name training in transparent and empathetic communication (13%), changing organizational incentives to reward transparency (8%), and leadership modeling openness and self-reflection (7%).
Topline distribution
Admitting past mistakes would build trust in public health.
What would most help the public health field build greater trust?
n = 1,000 · Nov 14–20, 2025 · MoE ±3.2%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Nov 14–20, 2025 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.2% |
| Module | Module 2 |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/verasight-apha-2025
What would most help the public health field build greater trust?
Cite this question
Verasight APHA Omnibus Survey #2025-148, fielded November 14-20, 2025, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.2%.