TO:
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN MEDICAL COLLEGES (AAMC)
FROM:
BILL McINTURFF/ELIZABETH HARRINGTON
RE:
NOVEMBER NATIONAL SURVEY – MEMO – SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
DATE:
NOVEMBER 28th, 2011
Methodology
This memorandum highlights the key findings from a series of questions added onto a
national omnibus survey for The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
The national omnibus telephone survey was conducted November 16-20, 2011 among
800 registered voters (700 land line interviews, 100 cell phone interviews). The margin
of error on a sample size of 800 is +3.46%.
Executive Summary
 These data show Americans reluctance and considerable opposition to cutting
federal funding for medical research.
o When asked more specifically about cuts to medical research funding,
more than six out of ten voters (62%) oppose significant cuts in federal
funding for medical research, while 34% favor these cuts. By almost a
three-to-one margin, there is stronger opposition to cuts in medical
research funding than there is strong support.
o Majorities of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats oppose cutting
federal funding for medical research.
1
 These data also show major opposition to cutting federal funding to teaching
hospitals that provides training for new doctors, special medical services, and
care for sicker patients.
o Nearly eight out of ten voters (77%) oppose significantly cutting federal
funding to teaching hospitals, while 21% of voters favor cutting this
funding. Importantly, a majority of voters (52%) “strongly oppose” these
cuts to teaching hospitals, while only nine percent (9%) “strongly favor”
these cuts.
o Importantly, there are no sub-groups across this data where a majority,
or even a plurality, support federal funding cuts to teaching hospitals that
provide these types of services.
o Significant majorities of Republicans (even Tea Party supporters),
Independents, and Democrats oppose federal funding cuts to teaching
hospitals that provide these types of services.
Detailed Findings
These data show Americans reluctance and considerable opposition to cutting federal
funding for medical research.
o
When asked to choose from eight domestic programs which one they would be
willing to cut federal government spending on in order to reduce the federal
deficit, “national defense” receives the highest percentage at 21%. Only seven
percent (7%) of voters chose “medical research.”
Sixty-four percent (64%) of voters support cuts to one of the eight domestic
programs tested, while one-third (33%) of voters do not support spending
reductions in any of the programs we tested.
2
The table on the below shows how the eight programs we tested fared.
Domestic Programs Willing To Cut Spending On To Reduce Federal Deficit
National defense
21%
Unemployment benefits
15%
Roads, bridges, and other infrastructure
10%
Public education
7%
Medical research
7%
Medicare
2%
Social Security
2%
Veterans benefits
*
Do not support spending reductions in any of these programs
33%
There is a sharp difference in which programs voters choose to cut by
their partisan affiliation.
 Republicans top two programs to cut are “unemployment benefits”
and “public education.”
 Independents choose “national defense” and “unemployment
benefits.”
 Democrats choose “national defense” and “roads, bridges, and other
infrastructure.”
Higher percentages of Independents and Democrats also report not
wanting to cut any of these domestic programs.
Domestic Programs Willing To Cut Spending On To Reduce Federal Deficit
By Party Identification
GOP
IND
DEM
National defense
8%
22%
33%
Unemployment benefits
25%
15%
5%
Roads, bridges, and other infrastructure
7%
7%
13%
Public education
15%
4%
2%
Medical research
10%
6%
4%
Medicare
4%
1%
*
Social Security
2%
1%
1%
Veterans benefits
*
1%
*
Do not support spending reductions in
any of these programs
3
24%
38%
37%
o
When asked more specifically about cuts to medical research funding, more than
six out of ten voters (62%) oppose significant cuts in federal funding for medical
research, while 34% favor these cuts. By almost a three-to-one margin, there is
stronger opposition to cuts in medical research funding than there is strong
support.
Would you favor or oppose the government significantly cutting federal
funding for medical Research?
Total Favor
Total Oppose
34%
62%
Strongly Favor
Somewhat Favor
Somewhat Oppose
Strongly Oppose
14%
20%
23%
39%
Majorities of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats oppose cutting
federal funding for medical research.
Republicans
Independents
Democrats
Favor
44%
29%
26%
Oppose
51%
64%
71%
There are some differences in the level of opposition by age and region.
 Younger voters (under age 45) are more opposed to cuts in medical
research funding than older voters (age 45+).
Age 18-34
Age 35-44
Age 45-54
Age 55-64
Age 65+

Favor
25%
28%
42%
43%
34%
Oppose
72%
68%
52%
53%
59%
Voters living on the West Coast report lower levels of opposition than
the rest of the country.
Northeast
Midwest
South
West
Favor
33%
32%
32%
39%
Oppose
64%
66%
61%
56%
4
The strongest opponents of cutting federal funding for medical research
are:
Strongly Oppose Funding Cuts For Medical Research (39%)
 African Americans (60%)
 Democrat Men (56%)
 Strong Democrats (51%)
 Women Age 18-34 (50%)
 Cell Phone Only Households (49%)
 Liberals (48%)
 HH Income Under $20K (48%)
 Obama Voters (47%)
 Democrats (47%)
 HS or Less Education (47%)
 Independent Women (46%)
 Voters under the age of 45 (46%)
 Millennial Generation (Ages 18-27) (46%)
 Voters living in the Deep South (46%)
 Working women (45%)
 Voters who do not support the Tea Party (45%)
 HH Income $40-$60K (45%)
 Men Age 35-54 (44%)
These data also show major opposition to cutting federal funding to teaching hospitals
that provide training for new doctors, special medical services, and care for sicker
patients.
o
Nearly eight out of ten voters (77%) oppose significantly cutting federal funding
to teaching hospitals, while 21% of voters favor cutting this funding.
Importantly, a majority of voters (52%) “strongly oppose” these cuts to teaching
hospitals, while only nine percent (9%) “strongly favor” these cuts.
5
Respondents were read the following information and question:
“Currently, teaching hospitals receive federal funding to help train new doctors,
provide special medical services such as trauma centers and burn units, and
provide care for sicker patients. Would you favor or oppose the government
significantly cutting this federal funding to teaching hospitals?”
Cutting Federal Funding To Teaching Hospitals
Total Favor
21%
Total Oppose
77%
Strongly Favor
Somewhat Favor
Somewhat Oppose
Strongly Oppose
9%
12%
25%
52%
Importantly, there are no sub-groups across this data where a majority,
or even a plurality, support federal funding cuts to teaching hospitals.
Significant majorities of Republicans (even Tea Party supporters),
Independents, and Democrats oppose federal funding cuts to teaching
hospitals.
Favor
Tea Party Supporters 34%
Republicans
30%
Independents
21%
Democrats
11%
Oppose
61%
67%
75%
87%
6
The strongest opponents of cutting federal funding to teaching hospitals
are:
Strongly Oppose Funding Cuts To Teaching Hospitals (52%)
 HH Income $40-$60K (68%)
 Women Age 18-34 (62%)
 Democrats (62%)
 Independent Women (61%)
 Post Graduates (61%)
 Liberals (61%)
 African Americans (61%)
 Obama Voters (60%)
 Voters living in the Pacific region (59%)
 Age 18-34 (58%)
 Women Less Than College (58%)
 Voters living in the Northeast region (57%)
 Voters who do not support the Tea Party (57%)
As noted in this memo, we asked two questions about cuts to funding: 1) specific to
medical research funding cuts; and 2) specific to teaching hospital funding cuts. There is
strong opposition to cuts in federal funding to both as stated earlier. However, it is also
important to look at the top sub-groups that are picked up as opponents to cuts in
funding when talking about teaching hospital funding cuts versus medical research
funding cuts. We ran an analysis to look at these audiences. The key sub-groups are
highlighted in the table below.
Top Groups Who Make Up The 19% Of Voters Who Favor Cuts To Medical
Research But Oppose Cuts To Teaching Hospitals
Age 60+ Retired Women – 29%
Women Age 55+ – 28%
Women At Home – 27%
Republicans Who Do Not Support The Tea Party – 27%
Soft Republicans – 25%
Age 65+ – 25%
White Women – 25%
Silent Generation (Ages 67-84) – 25%
Republicans Age 50+ – 25%
Urban Women – 25%
Republican Women – 29%
Age 45-54 – 24%
Women With Less Than College Education – 24%
Voters With Some College Education – 24%
7
o
When read six possible outcomes of significant federal funding cuts to teaching
hospitals, voters are very closely divided about which one of the possible
outcomes would be of most concern to them.
Respondents were read the following information and question:
“Now let's imagine for a moment that the federal government DOES CUT funding
to teaching hospitals. I am going to read you some things people have said could
happen if teaching hospital funding is cut. Please tell me which ONE would
concern you the most. If teaching hospital funding is cut it could mean…”
Funding Cuts to Teaching Hospitals – Most Concerning Possible Outcome
A shortage of doctors
20%
Trauma care services in hospitals could be shut down
19%
Overloaded emergency rooms meaning longer waits for care
16%
Reducing patient access to the latest
13%
treatments and newest technologies
Not being able to accept the sickest
10%
patients from other hospitals
A shortage of nurses in hospitals
8%
Given how closely divided voters are on this measure, it is important to
note how the rank order of concern shifts among key audiences. The
tables below and on the following page highlight these shifts in ranking.
Funding Cuts to Teaching Hospitals – Most Concerning Possible Outcome
By Key Sub-Groups
Working
Opinion
Women
Women
Elites
A shortage of doctors
20%
22%
19%
Trauma care services in hospitals
22%
35%
24%
could be shut down
Overloaded emergency rooms
16%
18%
10%
meaning longer waits for care
Reducing patient access to the
latest treatments and newest
12%
10%
20%
technologies
Not being able to accept the sickest
9%
6%
7%
patients from other hospitals
A shortage of nurses in hospitals
10%
4%
13%
8
Funding Cuts to Teaching Hospitals – Most Concerning Possible Outcome
By Party
IND/Swing
Republicans
Democrats
Voters
A shortage of doctors
24%
19%
18%
Trauma care services in hospitals
18%
19%
20%
could be shut down
Overloaded emergency rooms
16%
14%
17%
meaning longer waits for care
Reducing patient access to the
latest treatments and newest
14%
12%
14%
technologies
Not being able to accept the
sickest patients from other
6%
13%
11%
hospitals
A shortage of nurses in hospitals
7%
8%
10%
9