Report · Health

More than half say they're not overly cautious about germs

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Being described as overly cautious about germs is not something most Americans accept about themselves. About 54% disagree that others might call them overly cautious, including 19% who strongly disagree, according to a Verasight survey conducted Feb. 28 to March 6, 2025.

About 23% agree that the description fits, including 3% who strongly agree. A matching 23% take neither side.

Topline

response scale

Topline scale

More than half say they're not overly cautious about germs.

Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement: Some people might describe me as overly cautious when it comes to germs.

  • 4 Neither disagree nor agree 23.3%
  • 2 Disagree 22.2%
  • 1 Strongly disagree 18.6%
  • 3 Slightly disagree 13.3%
  • 5 Slightly agree 12.7%
  • 6 Agree 6.4%
  • 7 Strongly agree 3.5%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.5%

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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
2025-02-28 → 2025-03-06
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.5%
Module
health

Source

Citation

Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2025-010, fielded February 28-March 6, 2025, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.5%.

https://verasight-spsp-2025.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.