Report · Health

Americans name mental health the top public-health priority for federal officials

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Of all the health challenges the federal government could take on, one rises above the rest for Americans: three-in-ten (30%) name mental health as the most important public health issue for U.S. federal officials to focus on, according to a Verasight survey conducted Nov. 19-22, 2024.

Access to care follows at 20%, with gun violence (16%) and substance abuse (12%) next. Smaller shares prioritize nutrition (7%), environmental health (5%), or infectious diseases (5%), and 4% name something else.

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

Americans name mental health the top public-health priority for federal officials.

In your opinion, what is the most important public health issue U.S. federal officials should be focusing on at this time?

  • Mental health 30.1%
  • Access to care 20.1%
  • Gun violence 15.9%
  • Substance abuse 12.3%
  • Nutrition 7.2%
  • Environmental health 5.3%
  • Infectious diseases 5.0%
  • Other (please specify) 4.1%

2024 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.4%

B

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2024-11-19 → 2024-11-22
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.4%
Module
B

Source

Citation

Verasight APHA Omnibus Survey #2024-122, fielded November 19-22, 2024, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.4%.

https://verasight-apha-2024.tiiny.co

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.