Many New Yorkers Concerned Nation Is Not Prepared for Next Public Health Crisis, Mount Sinai South Nassau ‘Truth in Medicine’ Poll Finds

Many New Yorkers Concerned Nation Is Not Prepared for Next Public Health Crisis, Mount Sinai South Nassau 'Truth in Medicine' Poll Finds

Many New Yorkers do not believe the United States is prepared for another public health crisis, according to the results of the latest Mount Sinai South Nassau "Truth in Medicine" public health poll, sponsored by Four Leaf.

Of the 600 adults who were polled in New York City and on Long Island, 44 percent said they are concerned that the country is unprepared for the next public health crisis, while 40 percent felt it is prepared.

A large majority of New Yorkers are worried about emergence or re-emergence of infectious diseases, with 77 percent citing measles, 75 percent bird flu, and 65 percent the new COVID-19 variants as causes for concern.

Other key findings from the public health poll include:

• 67 percent of New Yorkers said they are concerned about affording health care for themselves and their family.
  
• 65 percent said they believe government should play a role in ensuring that everyone has access to affordable health care.
  
• 61 percent said they trust government agencies to make important decisions about vaccines, but fewer (45 percent) trust government agencies to make important decisions about medical research.
  
• Only 38 percent of respondents trust government recommendations to prevent chronic diseases.
  

"It's not surprising that confidence in whether we are prepared for the next public health crisis has eroded," said Aaron E. Glatt, MD, Chair of the Department of Medicine and Chief of Infectious Diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau. "Science has become politicized and the divisions we see across the country have an impact. However, health care providers and researchers remain committed to evidence-based study and reporting." Sponsored by FourLeaf (formerly Bethpage Federal Credit Union), the Mount Sinai South Nassau "Truth in Medicine" Poll aims to gather data about public attitudes on key public health topics and spur education and discussion. The poll was conducted from July 13 through July 20 via both landlines and cell phones. Poll findings are subject to a sampling error of plus or minus 3.9 percent. Respondents believe that vaccine safety, accessible mental health services and care, addressing childhood obesity, providing treatment for substance abuse, and addressing America's reliance on processed foods are vital to improving the population's overall health and wellness. "Immunization is key to primary health care and paramount to the prevention and control of infectious disease outbreaks," said Dr. Glatt. "Vaccines have proven that they are worth the investment to make them and the health insurance costs to cover them, as they are the safest, most effective way to protect the public from many preventable life-threatening diseases. I strongly encourage everyone to follow up with their physicians to get the recommended vaccines at the recommended times." According to the World Health Organization, vaccines can prevent more than 30 life-threatening diseases and infections, and 3.5 million to 5 million deaths every year, from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), influenza, and measles. Affordable and accessible health insurance is also essential to primary health care and the public's preparedness for a health crisis. According to the American Hospital Association, health insurance facilitates access to care and is associated with lower death rates, better health outcomes, and improved productivity. Just 8 percent of poll respondents reported that they do not have health insurance, while 36 percent have private insurance, 17 percent are covered through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and 25 percent are insured through Medicare or Medicaid or both. Overall satisfaction among insured respondents is high, with 80 percent saying they were satisfied with their health insurance coverage. Seventy-six percent were satisfied with the cost of their prescription drugs. Among the 8 percent of respondents who don't have health insurance, nearly one-half (49 percent) said it is too expensive, 26 percent said their employers do not provide it, 15 percent said they don't need it, and 6 percent do not know how to obtain health insurance. Affordability of health insurance is an issue for 67 percent of all respondents, with many strongly agreeing or agreeing that they are concerned about affording health care for themselves and their family. Cost is the reason 65 percent agree that the government should play a role in ensuring that everyone has access to affordable health insurance. "No one is immune to injuries or illnesses," said Adhi Sharma, MD, President of Mount Sinai South Nassau. "Health insurance provides security and peace of mind in the event of a serious illness. It also plays an important role in preventive care." If you need assistance with health insurance coverage or for questions about applying for, enrolling in, or renewing health insurance coverage, contact the New York State Department of Health at nystateofhealth.ny.gov or call the office's Customer Service Center: 1-855-355-5777, Monday-Friday 8 am-8 pm and Saturday 9 am-1 pm. This is the 22nd "Truth in Medicine" Poll and second of 2025. The poll is part of Mount Sinai South Nassau's mission of outreach to improve education around critical public health issues. The poll was conducted by a nationally recognized independent polling firm, LJR Custom Strategies, with offices in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans. LJR has conducted more than 2,000 studies for a broad spectrum of health care, business, education, cultural, and political clients in nearly every state in the country and around the world. "Prevention is a key aspect of maintaining good health and wellness and health insurance and vaccines are proven preventive health measures that can significantly reduce your risk of developing serious illnesses and control long-term health care expenses," said Linda Armyn, Chief Executive Officer of Four Leaf. "I applaud the work Mount Sinai South Nassau is doing to create awareness on such an important topic." Mount Sinai South Nassau began conducting the public health poll in January 2017. Previous polls have focused on alcohol consumption and its association with cancer risk, cellphone use in schools, mental health services, holiday stress, the human papilloma virus vaccine, legalization of recreational marijuana, supplements, antibiotic use and misuse, and screen time, among others. For more information about the polls, visit https://www.southnassau.org/sn/truth-in-medicine. About Mount Sinai South Nassau The Long Island flagship hospital of the Mount Sinai Health System, Mount Sinai South Nassau is designated a Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for outstanding nursing care. Mount Sinai South Nassau is one of the region's largest hospitals, with 455 beds, more than nine hundred physicians and 3,500 employees. Located in Oceanside, New York, the hospital is an acute-care, not-for-profit teaching hospital that provides state-of-the-art care in cardiac, oncologic, orthopedic, bariatric, pain management, mental health, and emergency services and operates the only Trauma Center on the South Shore of Nassau County, along with Long Island's only free-standing Emergency Department in Long Beach. In addition to its extensive outpatient specialty centers, Mount Sinai South Nassau provides emergency and elective angioplasty, and offers Novalis Tx™ and Gamma Knife® radiosurgery technologies. Mount Sinai South Nassau operates the only Trauma Center on the South Shore of Nassau County verified by the American College of Surgeons as well as Long Island's only free-standing, 9-1-1 receiving Emergency Department in Long Beach. Mount Sinai South Nassau also is a designated Stroke Center by the New York State Department of Health and Comprehensive Community Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons; is an accredited center of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Association and Quality Improvement Program; and an Infectious Diseases Society of America Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence. For more information, go to https://www.mountsinai.org/southnassau.