Concern Over SARS (36%) Plummets
In general, a majority of Canadians also appear to believe that the various individuals and organizations involved in dealing with the SARS outbreak in Canada are doing "a good job". However, those on the frontlines receive the highest levels of support. In fact, nine in ten (86%) Canadians believe that doctors and nurses in the healthcare system in their area are doing a good job, followed by eight in ten (78%) who say that the public health officials in their area are also doing a good job.
When asked to consider how governments have been dealing with the SARS outbreak, provincial and local officials are thought to be doing a better job than those at the federal level. Seven in ten Canadians believe that their Provincial Minister of Health (70%) as well as their own provincial government (70%) are doing a good job, and 66% hold this view of their Municipal Government. Slightly less believe that Federal Minister of Health, Anne McClellan (57%) and the Federal Government (55%) are doing a good job.
As for the international agencies involved in the fight against SARS, more Canadians feel that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (74%) is doing a good job dealing with the SARS outbreak in Canada than the World Health Organization (65%).
These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/CTV/Globe and Mail poll conducted between April 29th and May 1st, 2003. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,000 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 2001 Census data.
The number of Canadians concerned about contracting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has dropped to just one in three (36%) from 51% the previous week and 61% at the beginning of April. For the first time in Ipsos-Reid polling done on this subject, a majority (64%) say they are not concerned about contracting SARS. When examining those in the country who are concerned about contracting SARS, the results indicate:
- Residents of Alberta (43%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (42%) and Ontario (40%) are the most likely to be concerned followed by Atlantic Canadians (38%) and residents of British Columbia (35%). Residents of Quebec (25%) are the least likely to be concerned.
- Women (40% versus 31% of men) are more likely to be concerned about contracting SARS, while men (68% versus 59% of women) are more likely to not be concerned.
In general, a majority of Canadians also appear to believe that the various individuals and organizations involved in dealing with the SARS outbreak in Canada are doing a good job.
The listing as to where they rank is as follows:
- Doctors and nurses in the healthcare system in your area: 86% (42% very good job/44% good job)
- Public health officials in your area 78% (26% very good job/52% good job)
- The Center for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) 74% (19% very good job/54% good job)
- Your Provincial Government 70% (12% very good job/58% good job)
- Your province's Minister of Health 70% (15% very good job/56% good job)
- Your Municipal Government 66% (14% very good job/52% good job)
- The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) 65% (17% very good job/48% good job)
- Federal Minister of Health, Anne McClellan 57% (8% very good job/49% good job)
- The Federal Government 55% (9% very good job/46% good job)
The data also revealed the following insights:
Healthcare Professionals...
- Ontarians (92%) are most likely to believe their doctors and nurses are doing a good job followed by Albertans (90%), British Columbians (86%), Quebecers (82%), and Atlantic Canadians (82%). Residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba trail with 70%.
- At least eight in ten residents in Ontario (85%), Alberta (85%), and Atlantic Canada (80%) feel Public Health officials in their area are doing a good job regarding the SARS outbreak. This compares to 72% of Quebecers, 69% of British Columbians, and 66% of those in Saskatchewan/Manitoba.
Provincial Governments, Minister of Health, and Local Governments...
- Ontarians (74%), Albertans (73%), and Quebecers (72%) and are more likely than their counterparts in British Columbia (58%) to believe their Provincial Minister of Health has done a good job on the SARS outbreak. As for the view of their Provincial Government's job in dealing with SARS, Albertans (77%), Quebecers (76%), Atlantic Canadians (72%), and Ontarians (68%) are more likely to say that their Provincial Government has done a good job than are residents of British Columbia (58%). Municipal governments receive higher marks from residents of Quebec (69%), Alberta (74%), Ontario (67%) than in British Columbia (55%) or Saskatchewan/Manitoba (53%).
- Younger Canadians are more likely to believe that their own Provincial Minister of Health (77%) or their Provincial Government (75%) are doing a good job, than do their middle aged counterparts (Minister of Health 65%; Provincial Government 67%).
Federal Government and Minister of Health...
- Residents of Quebec (68%) are more likely to say Federal Health Minister, Anne McClellan is doing a good job regarding SARS than do residents of Ontario (56%), Alberta (54%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (51%) or British Columbia (42%). While, Quebecers (71%) are also more likely to hold this view of the Federal Government than do those in Atlantic Canada (58%), Alberta (58%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (52%), Ontario (48%) or British Columbia (42%).
- Younger Canadians are more likely to say that Federal Health Minister McClellan (69%) and the Federal Government (67%) is doing a good job than do their middle aged (Minister McClellan 52%; Federal Government 50%) or older (Minister McClellan 53%; Federal Government 50%) counterparts.
- More women (58%) than men (51%) believe that the Federal Government has done a good job regarding the SARS outbreak.
World Health Organization...
- Quebecers (84%) are more likely to say the W.H.O. is doing a good job dealing with the SARS outbreak in Canada than do residents of Atlantic Canada (73%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (66%), Alberta (61%), British Columbia (59%), or Ontario (54%).
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For more information on this news release, please contact:
John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Ipsos-Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 324-2900
