Author: iHeard STL

Ahead of Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month in June, we asked St. Louis adults about risk and protective factors for dementia and Alzheimer’s. On average, they identified 3 of 8 risk and 4 of 7 protective factors; 42% had a close friend or family member with dementia or Alzheimer’s.   Most and least known RISK factors […]

Earlier this week, the City of St. Louis Department of Health announced that an out-of-state visitor to the St. Louis Aquarium had measles and could have spread it to others there. iHeard found that St. Louis adults were already hearing about nearby measles cases before this news.   Measles in surrounding states  Missouri shares a border with eight […]

PLEASE SHARE THE RESOURCE BELOW RIGHT AWAY TO GET THE WORD OUT! Earlier today the City of St. Louis Department of Health notified the public of a potential local measles exposure.  An out-of-state visitor to the St. Louis Aquarium has been confirmed with measles. The visitor was at the St. Louis Aquarium on Wednesday, April 30, between 1-6 […]

GLP-1 weight loss drugs have been so popular that drug makers could not keep up with public demand. In response to shortages, the FDA allowed use of “compounded” GLP-1 drugs.  What are “compounded” drugs?  Most prescription medications are approved by the FDA and manufactured by drug companies. Compounded drugs are made by licensed pharmacists or physicians who […]

At-home health tests can be quick and convenient. More are being introduced each year. Nearly all St. Louis adults surveyed had heard about at-home tests for COVID-19 and pregnancy, but far fewer knew about the tests for food allergies, sexually transmitted infections, and cancer. Most were “very” or “somewhat” concerned about test accuracy and cost.   What […]

This week’s survey asked St. Louis adults about 12 symptoms of heart attack: six that are commonly experienced by men and women, and six affecting mostly women. The women’s symptoms were less well known, especially among men. Common heart attack symptoms are well known among St. Louisans…   Nearly all St. Louisans correctly identified chest […]

Two Walgreens locations in St. Louis are closing. The Penrose neighborhood store closed on March 27; the 2310 McCausland Avenue store will shut down permanently on April 21. Among St. Louis adults surveyed, 45% heard about the closures in the last week.  Store closures at pharmacy chains a national trend  Walgreens operates about 8,500 U.S. stores, […]

Measles continues to spread nationally. As of March 27th, 483 cases have been confirmed in 20 states. In St. Louis, 46% of adults surveyed heard about rising measles cases in the last 7 days; only 14% heard that a small group of adults vaccinated 50 years ago may need a booster.    Current measles outbreaks in the […]

Although colorectal cancer rates have declined in the U.S. in the last 20 years, new diagnoses among those under age 45 are rising. One in four St. Louis adults surveyed (26%) heard about the rising rates in the last week.    What are the age trends in colon cancer?   From 1995 to 2019, the proportion of […]

Vaccine discussions have been prominent in the news and social media recently. When asked if they’d heard anything about vaccines in the last two weeks, 52% of St. Louis adults said “yes.” However, only 13% said they had questions about vaccines.  Who’s hearing about vaccines?  Among 377 adults surveyed in four states (MO, NE, GA, […]

A wild duck found dead in the St. Louis Zoo’s Cove Lake tested positive for bird flu. Among St. Louis adults surveyed, 37% heard about it in the last 7 days. White respondents were more likely to hear about the Zoo’s bird flu case than Black respondents (46% vs. 30%).  Bird flu situation at St. […]

So far in 2025 (through Feb. 27), 164 measles cases have been reported in nine states, a 262% increase from the same week in 2024. In St. Louis, 61% of adults surveyed had heard in the last week about rising rates. Most heard it from TV/radio sources (53%) and/or social media (50%).  What’s the current measles situation?  […]

One in 10 St. Louis adults surveyed reported hearing in the last 7 days that this year’s flu vaccine is less effective. In a broader sample of adults in St. Louis, Omaha, Atlanta, and North Carolina, 12% heard it. Awareness was highest among Hispanics (18%) and lowest in non-Hispanic Whites (10%).   How effective is this […]

Although 1 in 3 U.S. households has a cat, only 10% of St. Louis adults surveyed reported hearing in the last 7 days that cats can spread bird flu to humans.  Is there evidence of bird flu passing from cats to humans?   A CDC report briefly posted online—and later removed—suggested that infected cats might spread bird flu to humans […]

Flu rates are surging in St. Louis. Through February 1, 2025, about 1 in 3 flu tests in Missouri came back positive– that’s more than double the 15% positivity rate from the same time last year. Half of St. Louis adults surveyed had heard about the rising flu rates in the last 7 days.  How high […]

As of January 29, 2025, the average price of eggs in the U.S. was $7.09 a dozen, a 22% increase since January 1, 2025. Over half of St. Louis adults surveyed had heard about the increase due to bird flu in the last 7 days. Most heard it from social media (47%) or TV/radio (38%)  How are […]

On November 26, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed expanding Medicare Part D and Medicaid to cover weight loss drugs. About 38% of St. Louis residents reported hearing about this proposal in the last 7 days, up from 20% the previous week.  What’s included in the policy proposal?  Currently, 14 state Medicaid programs cover weight […]

On January 15, the FDA announced a ban on Red Dye No. 3 in food and drug products. Three days later, we asked St. Louis residents if they had heard about the ban: 63% said yes. Manufacturers are required to remove the dye from their food products by January 2027. Makers of ingested drugs have until January […]

In 3 out of 4 categories, St. Louis adults were satisfied with the local response to the January 4-5 winter storm. But snow removal from streets and roads was a different story. Poll results In the iHeard STL weekly poll for January 11-13, St. Louisans rated their satisfaction from 1 to 10 (10=highest satisfaction) on […]

As of January 3, 2025, the CDC reports that respiratory illnesses causing people to seek healthcare are at high levels and continue to rise nationally. St. Louis residents seem to be taking note, with 3 in 8 (38%) reporting they heard “Cases of respiratory diseases such as flu, COVID-19, and RSV are increasing” in the […]

Here’s what was new in 2024:   Centering community. iHeard joined with the St. Louis Partnership for a Healthy Community to support local public health efforts across our region.   Growing again! We added 30 new community members to our weekly survey panel this year and will add another 45 in January and February. Look for iHeard at community events around St. Louis – […]

The CDC reports that from March 31 to October 5, 2024, rates of pneumonia in kids ages 2-4 increased from 1 to 7.2 percent, and from 3.6 to 7.4 percent among kids 5-17. Among St. Louis adults surveyed, 29 percent reported hearing about the increase during the last 7 days.   Is it pneumonia?    Symptoms of pneumonia usually […]

[Update] On Sunday, December 15th, the authors of a study referenced in this alert issued a correction to their findings.  We have updated the alert and assets to reflect this correction. Updated text is shown in bold. A new study found that black-colored plastics used in cooking utensils and toys may contain banned toxic chemicals. Over […]

Holiday gatherings often bring together people with differing perspectives, sometimes leading to sensitive conversations. We asked St. Louisans what they discussed at their Thanksgiving meals.   Different viewpoints were common  Among adults surveyed in St. Louis and Omaha, 74% shared a meal with family or friends from outside their household; of those, nearly two-thirds said someone at […]

This week, 16% of St. Louis adults surveyed reported that in the last 7 days they had heard that “all fluoride in water is dangerous;” of those who heard it 46% thought it was probably or definitely true.  What is fluoride? Fluoride is a natural mineral found in water, soil, air, and certain foods. In the […]