For the last 10 weeks, St. Louis has seen a steady increase in the proportion of adults who have heard that the FDA recommended an updated COVID vaccine for the fall. In last week’s survey, 40% of St. Louis adults had heard about the FDA recommending an updated COVID vaccine. This survey was administered just […]
Weekly alert: New variants. New vaccine. What are people hearing? Suggested Caption: The CDC has confirmed two new COVID variants: EG.5 (Eris) and BA.2.86 (Pirola). EG.5 is now the most common variant, accounting for about 20% of cases. To learn more about this and other health topics in St. Louis, visit iHeardSTL.org or follow @iHeard_STL. #iHeardSTL […]
We asked St. Louis adults what they are hearing about COVID-19. In the last 7 days, nearly two-thirds (65%) have heard that COVID cases are rising. This is a big increase from last week (+42%). In addition, 35% heard there is a new COVID variant, and 37% heard that FDA advisers recommended an update to […]
We asked St. Louis adults if they had heard “COVID cases are rising” in the past week. Almost half (46%) said “yes” and nearly all of them (93%) believed it was true. When the same respondents were asked about their own COVID precautions such as mask-wearing, hand-washing, avoiding close contact or large gatherings, 11% reported […]
Free at-home COVID tests Suggested Caption: Here’s what you need to know about ordering free COVID-19 tests again:– Limit of one order per residential address– One order includes 4 individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests (COVIDTests.gov has more details about at-home tests, including extended shelf life and updated expiration dates)– Orders will ship free starting the […]
COVID-19 Cases Rising Suggested Caption: iHeard asked St. Louisans if they had heard “COVID cases are rising” at the end of August. Almost half (46%) said “yes.” More people (11%) also reported taking more frequent precautions (such as wearing masks, washing their hands often, avoiding close contact with others, and avoiding large indoor gatherings). This […]
Over half (54%) of adult survey respondents in St. Louis reported knowing someone who has ever experienced post-partum depression (PPD), and 1 in 5 (20%) know someone who’s had PPD in the last year. Postpartum depression – a condition in which a person feels sad, anxious, and tired after giving birth – has been in […]
In last week’s poll, 38% of St. Louis adults surveyed reported hearing about the closure of SSM Level II trauma services at DePaul Hospital in North County. This week, we asked respondents if they would be affected by the change, and separately, if they would be affected the expected closure of South City Hospital. Almost 1 […]
Only one week after the FDA approved a new pill for postpartum depression, nearly 30% of St. Louis adults surveyed had heard the news. Increasing community awareness of this treatment is an important part of protecting moms, babies and families in St. Louis. According to the CDC, 1 in 8 women who recently gave birth […]
Weekly alert: Postpartum depression Suggested Caption: Following the FDA approval of the first postpartum depression pill on August 4, iHeard asked St. Louisans if they had heard about the approval. Almost three in ten (29%) said “yes.” Postpartum depression is a medical condition where a woman feels sad, anxious, and tired after giving birth. It […]
Within weeks, North County’s DePaul Hospital will be ending its Level II trauma services. That news is spreading in St. Louis: 38% of adults surveyed this week heard about the change in service, up 68% from the prior week. SSM Health announced that on September 10th it will end Level II trauma services at DePaul […]
Weekly alert: Be aware of hospital changes in St. Louis Suggested Caption: DePaul Hospital will end Level II trauma services on September 10th due to a low number of trauma patients. The hospital will continue Level I trauma care for treating conditions like heart attacks and strokes. To learn more about this and other health […]
Elon Musk claimed on Twitter that COVID vaccines may be the cause of basketball player Bronny James’ cardiac arrest. We asked St. Louisans if they had heard in the past week that COVID vaccines are causing increased heart problems among young athletes. Although few had heard it (9%), two-thirds of those (67%) believed it. Multiple […]
We asked St. Louis adults, “If someone you know in St. Louis needs help staying cool or paying utility bills from air conditioning, do you know where to send them?” Only 24% said “yes.” The majority (63%) said “no,” while 13% were “not sure.” Younger St. Louisans (under age 40) were less likely to know […]
Weekly alert: Are COVID vaccines safe for young athletes? Suggested Caption: Although only a few (9%) of surveyed STL adults have heard COVID-19 vaccines cause heart problems among young athletes, two-thirds (67%) of those who heard it believed it. Multiple scientific studies have found no evidence of an increased risk of cardiac arrest after COVID […]
Weekly alert: Summer heat waves Suggested Caption: Did you hear? Ameren is working to support customers with the Keeping Current & Keeping Cool payment assistance programs. Summer heat waves and excessive heat can be dangerous for children, older adults, people with heart conditions, and those who work outside. Cool Down St. Louis provides families with […]
For 22 weeks, iHeard panel members have reported hearing about the rising mental health crisis among teens. This week, we asked what they were hearing about the reason for declining teen mental health. Most cited social media use (53%), followed by social and cultural division in the U.S. (12%) and gender and sexual identity (8%). […]
In a poll from June 24-26, St. Louis adults rated gun violence as the biggest health problem in St. Louis. Three weeks later, in a follow-up survey among the same adults, 37% selected “banning semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles” as the most effective way of reducing gun violence in St. Louis, followed by “increasing the […]
Weekly alert: What would reduce gun violence in STL? Suggested Caption: In a poll from June 24-26, St. Louis adults rated gun violence as the biggest health problem in St. Louis. Three weeks later, in a follow-up survey, 37% selected “banning semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles” as the most effective way of reducing gun violence […]
Weekly alert: Let’s help protect mental health Suggested Caption: iHeard asked panel members were hearing about the reason for declining teen mental health. The most cited was social media use (53%), followed by social and cultural division in the U.S. (12%) and gender and sexual identity (8%). The coronavirus pandemic (5%), school shootings (4%), and […]
The two health stories most heard by St. Louis adults last week both involved beverages. Almost half (45%) of respondents to a weekly survey had heard in the last 7 days that aspartame sweeteners may cause cancer; 28% had heard about new energy drinks under investigation due to possible health risks. White St. Louisans were […]
Weekly alert: Aspartame sweeteners and energy drinks Suggested Caption: iHeard surveyed St. Louisans to learn what they’ve been hearing about two nutritional products – aspartame sweeteners and new energy drinks. 45% have heard that aspartame sweeteners might cause cancer, while 28% were informed about the investigation into potential health risks associated with new energy drinks. […]
More St. Louis organizations are expanding access to safe spaces for young people, and at least some in St. Louis are getting the message. In this week’s poll, 43% of African American adults surveyed and 25% of Whites had heard about it. Adults ages 40 and older were more likely to have heard it than […]
Weekly alert: Organizations expand access to safe spaces for young people Suggested Caption: At least 3 out of 10 (31%) surveyed St. Louis adults have heard that more organizations are expanding access to safe places for young people in St. Louis. Older people (40+ years) are more likely to have heard this information than younger […]
Although there was widespread agreement in last week’s survey about the biggest health concerns facing St. Louis, we found some differences by sub-group that are relevant for local community leaders and service providers to consider. Respondents chose from 13 health problems: Gun violence, Mental health, Healthcare access and cost, Drug abuse, Traffic safety, Obesity, Reproductive […]
Weekly alert: Top health concern in St. Louis is gun violence Suggested Caption: iHeard asked St. Louis adults what they considered the biggest and second biggest health problem facing St. Louis. By a landslide margin, most people named gun violence the area’s biggest health problem. Other notable problems include mental health, healthcare access and cost, […]
In the latest iHeard survey, we asked St. Louis adults what they considered the biggest and second biggest health problem facing St. Louis. By a landslide margin, most people named gun violence the area’s biggest health problem. The order of health problems in our survey was randomized for each respondent. This week’s report is based on […]
It’s been one month since a new recommendation was announced to lower the starting age for mammograms from 50 to 40 years, but awareness of the guideline remains low in St. Louis. Only 19% of St. Louis adults surveyed heard last week about the new recommendation, a 39% decline from when we first asked about […]
Weekly alert: New mammogram guidelines – what to know Suggested Caption: On May 9, 2023, after considering scientific evidence, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended lowering the screening age for breast cancer to 40 years for women with an average risk of breast cancer. Only 19% of St. Louis adults surveyed heard about the […]
Weekly alert: Free gun locks Suggested Caption: Guns are the leading cause of death for US children and teens, since surpassing car accidents in 2020. In response to this crisis and a growing number of recent child firearm injuries in St. Louis, SSM Health and some other St. Louis hospitals began offering free gun locks […]
St. Louis hospitals are now distributing free gunlocks to help reduce firearm injuries, but only 15% of St. Louis adults surveyed have heard about the initiative. African American community members were more likely to have heard about it than Whites (26% vs 9%). On June 2, 2023, SSM Health joined 8 other hospitals across the […]
Weekly alert: AI in healthcare Suggested Caption: When it comes to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, St. Louis adults report limited understanding. Only 8% of our panel reported a strong grasp of AI concepts.Most respondents indicated they understood AI only “somewhat well” (61%) or admitted to knowing it “not well at all” (30%). AI’s potential […]
Only 8% of a panel of St. Louis adults said they understood Artificial intelligence (AI) “very well,” and asked specifically about AI and healthcare, more had heard about potential negative impacts than benefits (50% vs. 38%). Most respondents said they understood AI only “somewhat well” (61%), or “not well at all” (30%). Males reported greater […]
Nearly half (46%) of St. Louis adults surveyed think that social media’s effect on youth is mostly negative. Only 4% think it is mostly positive, and the rest think it is equally positive and negative (37%) or don’t know (14%). When asked who is most responsible for making social media safer for young people, 45% […]
Weekly alert: Social media and youth mental health Suggested Caption: In a recent advisory, the U.S. Surgeon General cautioned about the potential risks of harm social media can have on children and adolescents’ mental and physical health. iHeard asked St. Louis adults what they think about social media and youth: 📊 Nearly half (46%) of […]
Weekly alert: 78% of St. Louisans believe protecting children’s health should come before business. Suggested Caption: According to our survey, nearly 8 in 10 (78%) St. Louisans believe protecting children’s health should come before business. On May 16, St. Louis County Council’s reversed a rule prohibiting tobacco sales within 1000 feet of school property. St. […]
Weekly alert: Fewer than 1 in 5 St. Louisans know 988. Suggested Caption: ⚠️ Only 19% of St. Louisans are aware that 988 is the 3-digit Suicide and Crisis Lifeline ⚠️ 31% of iHeard STL’s panel indicated that they knew the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number; however, only 19% correctly identified 988 as the number […]
Weekly alert: Does masking protect against Long COVID? Suggested Caption: Does masking protect against Long COVID? Let’s clear the air! According to our recent survey, most respondents believe masks prevent getting COVID-19 (80%) and prevent spreading it to others (84%). However, only 49% of our panel think masks can lower the risks of developing Long […]
Weekly alert: Trust in Twitter has dropped Suggested Caption: 🚨 Our panel of St. Louis adults reveals that trust in Twitter has declined for some time 📉 40% of Twitter users on our survey panel reported decreased trust in information they see on the platform in the past 6 months. The other panel members (60%) […]
Weekly alert: COVID-19 public health emergency expiration Suggested Caption: St. Louis residents are still hearing about the Public Health Emergency ending in May. In mid-February, when this item first appeared on our survey, 43% of STL adults had heard it. Exposure to this information has steadily remained high over these 2+ months. Is there anything […]
Weekly alert: False claims about the COVID vaccine and maternal health are not spreading like they used to Suggested Caption: False claims about the COVID vaccine and maternal health are losing ground. Only 5% of St. Louis adults heard a false claim linking the vaccine to miscarriages and stillbirths, compared to 50% in Sept 2021, […]
Weekly alert: What are St. Lousians hearing about Candida auris? Suggested Caption: Nearly 1 in 3 St. Louis adults heard about a new fungus spreading between people. Adults age 40 and older were much more likely to hear it than those younger than 40. Most people heard the claim on TV and radio. The fungus […]
St. Louis area hospitals changed mask rules Suggested Caption: Last week, almost half of the St. Louis adults in our panel (47%) heard that St. Louis area hospitals are ending their mask requirements. Nearly all (97%) of those who heard it believed it. BJC HealthCare ended its masking requirement on March 23, following SSM Health […]
Weekly Alert: Naloxone Suggested Caption: Do you know about Naloxone? A third of St. Louis adults (34%) heard about the FDA recommendation to make Narcan/Naloxone available as an over-the-counter overdose death prevention prescription drug nationwide. Naloxone/Narcan trainings are available throughout the St. Louis region. The T, an organization promoting harm reduction in St. Louis, hosts […]
Detoxes, diets and cleanses – OH MY! Suggested Caption: This National Nutrition Month, let’s get rid of the trendy and stick to what works – and that’s different for every/body. Click through for thoughts on nutrition trends and how to spot them on your social media feed. To learn what our community is hearing, follow […]
Weekly alert part 1: Local traffic Suggested Caption: How do residents feel about traffic safety in St. Louis? 🛑 ⚠️ 🚗🚦 (Part 1/2) Not great, our recent survey shows. Most felt that local traffic was unsafe and getting more dangerous. Only 1% of respondents thought it was getting safer. Mayor Tishaura O. Jones recently signed […]
Weekly alert part 1: What are St. Louisans hearing about Ozempic? Suggested Caption: For the fourth consecutive week, about 1 in 4 St. Louis adults heard that people with diabetes are not able to access the drug Ozempic because of its recent popularity for weight loss. This week’s total, 27%, is actually up 4% increase […]