2020 Public Opinion Poll on Health and Medical Research & Innovation

Research Australia’s 2020 public opinion poll was conducted online by Roy Morgan between 4 and 16 June 2020 with 1,013 Australians aged 18 and over, weighted by age, sex and area (maximum sampling tolerance ±3.1%). Fielded during the COVID-19 pandemic and after the summer bushfires, it asked respondents to rate 27 Australian Government spending priorities; improving hospitals and the healthcare system ranked first and more funding for health and medical research tenth. More than 7 in 10 rated Australia’s health system among the world’s best, and using the latest research and evidence was the top-rated measure for improving it. Over 90% agreed that politicians had relied on expert health and medical advice in responding to COVID-19, and more than eight in ten said the pandemic had raised the profile of researchers. Nearly two thirds believed research into the health effects of climate change should be given a higher priority, with disaster-related mental health the most nominated risk. Use of de-identified medical records for research was strongly supported by 35.8% and somewhat supported by 47%. Nearly 9 in 10 saw a role for technology in managing their health, though the report flags a digital divide. 59.7% reported donating to health and medical research, compared with 67.9% the previous year, with bushfire and COVID-19 giving reducing such donations for some.