Survey Shows Most Americans Have Little Awareness of U.S. Surgeon General

July 11, 2007 -- A national survey by Health Politics in collaboration with Yankelovich Partners shows that only one in three Americans can recall the name of any particular United States Surgeon General  -- and that fewer than one in 10 has general awareness of who held the post most recently.

The random survey of 1,000 Americans, conducted late last year, reveals that there are large gaps in awareness related to the age and gender of respondents.  Knowledge and awareness of who occupies the Surgeon General’s office is highest among older Americans, but those under 35 years of age are generally unaware. Men are generally more aware than women, according to the study. Of recent Surgeons General, C. Everett Koop, MD, had by far the highest name recognition, at 54 percent, with Richard Carmona, MD, having the lowest name recognition, at 6 percent. Though Dr. Koop has the most favorable public opinion among all recent Surgeons General, most Americans don’t feel they know enough to have an opinion either way about Dr. Koop or any of those who followed him in office.

 “This data says a lot about the perceived value of the Surgeon General’s office,” said Health Politics host Mike Magee, MD, who helped conduct the survey. “If an important indicator of caring about and valuing an office such as the Surgeon General is an awareness of the individual who holds that office, it’s fair to ask why awareness has plummeted so drastically over the last 25 years since Dr. Koop’s time.”

The Surgeon General’s office has been vacant since Dr. Carmona completed a four-year term in 2006. He was not asked to continue in that role by the Bush Administration after his term expired. In testimony to Congress this week, Dr. Carmona has said he received political pressure to weaken public health reports. Senate confirmation hearings begin this week for his designated successor, James W. Holsinger Jr., MD.

To view a slide show summarizing the study, click here.
To see the data and questions used to compile the study, click here.
To read Dr. Magee’s blog on this topic, click here.