In 2021-22, an international survey of people's perceptions of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors was conducted by the global polling company Gallup, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
The survey covered 7000 participants from across 5 countries – Colombia, India, Jordan, the United Republic of Tanzania and the United States of America.
The poll covered a variety of issues including awareness of the term ‘noncommunicable’; understanding of the diseases and risk factors; perceptions of harmfulness and agency in preventing the diseases; levels of public support for selected policy measures; and trust in different health information sources.
The survey found most respondents rank an NCD or NCD risk factor as the biggest health problem in their country. At the same time, it found that self-reported awareness of the links between NCDs and major risk factors – including tobacco and alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, and lack of physical activity – was low.
There was some good news: the majority of people surveyed across all countries supported a wide number of proven interventions and policies that can reduce deaths from NCDs, such as incorporating more green spaces in urban health design and increasing taxes on tobacco.
The results and insights from this survey will be used to:
- Improve public awareness and understanding of NCDs and their risk factors by developing more effective communication.
- Bridge the knowledge gap between the NCD technical scientific community and the general public.
- Support advocacy efforts and encourage policymakers to prioritize interventions that address NCDs and their modifiable risk factors.
The full survey dataset for all countries can be downloaded here.