For Many Americans, 9/11 Worries Still Dominate
Concern about family and friends, fear of flying and anxiety top the list
NORWALK, Conn., Sept. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Almost half of all U.S. adults who experienced physical or psychological problems in the months following the 9/11 terrorist attacks still struggle with feelings of fear and anxiety 10 years later, today's Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll found.
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The most common lingering concerns are worry about family and friends, reported by 24 percent of those still affected, and anxiety, by 13 percent. Twelve percent said the disaster has caused them to "lose hope" about the future.
Today's Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll also found:
- 19 percent of all those polled reported they now have a fear of flying.
- 9 percent admit to feeling anxious in big cities or crowded venues.
- 18 percent said they want revenge against terrorists.
- 14 percent said they feel "nervous" when they see people dressed in traditional Muslim attire.
- Two-thirds of those polled said they took action as a result of 9/11 -- 47 percent said they now try to appreciate life more, and 34 percent reported spending more time with family and friends.
- 10 percent said they turn more often to their church or place of worship, 21 percent said they pray more often or more intently.
Regina A. Corso, senior vice president of the Harris Poll, Public Relations and Youth Research, "Even though it has been 10 years, the impact of 9/11 is something that was not constrained to just that one day or even to a few weeks after the attacks. Not only did more than two in five Americans experience effects such as worry or anxiety after the event, almost half of those people say they are still experiencing effects a decade later.
"But, what is nice to see," she added, "is that not all effects are negative. Almost half of Americans say they, as a result of 9/11, are trying to appreciate life more, and one-third are trying to spend more time with family, loved ones or friends."
The poll included 2,202 U.S. adults over age 18 who were surveyed online between August 25 to 29, 2011, by Harris Interactive, one of the world's leading custom market research firms, and HealthDay, a leading producer and syndicator of health news.
The complete findings of the newest joint Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll are available here. HealthDay's news report is available here. Full data on the poll and its methodology are available at Harris Interactive.
About HealthDay
HealthDay, a division of Scout News LLC, is a leading producer and syndicator of evidence-based health news for consumers and physicians and is the largest syndicator of that news to Internet sites. Its consumer health news service (www.healthday.com) appears on more than 5,000 websites such as Yahoo!, MSN Health, iVillage, US News.com, hundreds of hospitals and hospital group websites, as well as print publication websites across the country. HealthDay also produces Physician's Briefing (www.physiciansbriefing.com), a news service for physicians, nurses and other medical professionals updated twice daily providing 15 articles a day across 32 medical specialties. HealthDay also provides custom content for major health portals. The newest addition to the HealthDay portfolio is HealthDay TV –a 90-second news broadcast of essential health information that appears on several major media websites, U.S. government websites and other health information sites.
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries and territories through our North American and European offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us – and our clients – stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.
HealthDay Contact
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TABLE 1A EXPERIENCED FOLLOWING 9/11 "As a result of 9/11, did you experience any of the following in the months following this event? Please select all that apply." Base: All Adults |
||||
Total |
Was in NYC or |
Had |
||
% |
% |
% |
||
Experienced Any Effects (Net) |
43 |
65 |
57 |
|
Worry about family or friends |
26 |
26 |
41 |
|
Anxiety |
20 |
43 |
28 |
|
Loss of hope about the future |
12 |
12 |
15 |
|
Depression |
8 |
16 |
12 |
|
Alcohol or drug abuse |
2 |
8 |
2 |
|
Other medical or psychological problems |
2 |
5 |
3 |
|
Other |
6 |
6 |
7 |
|
None |
57 |
35 |
43 |
|
TABLE 2 STILL EXPERIENCING EFFECTS "Which of these effects, if any, are you still experiencing as a result of the events on 9/11? Please select all that apply." Base: Experienced Any Effects |
||||
Total |
Was in NYC or |
Had |
||
% |
% |
% |
||
Still Experiencing Effects (Net) |
46 |
50 |
52 |
|
Worry about family or friends |
24 |
17 |
29 |
|
Anxiety |
13 |
8 |
13 |
|
Loss of hope about the future |
12 |
23 |
16 |
|
Depression |
6 |
10 |
7 |
|
Alcohol or drug abuse |
1 |
7 |
1 |
|
Other medical or psychological problems |
1 |
4 |
2 |
|
Other |
7 |
5 |
7 |
|
Not experiencing anymore |
54 |
50 |
48 |
|
TABLE 3 ACTIONS TAKEN "Which of the following actions, if any, did you take as a result of 9/11? Please select all that apply." Base: All Adults |
||||
Total |
Was in NYC or |
Had |
||
% |
% |
% |
||
Any Action (Net) |
62 |
78 |
71 |
|
Try to appreciate life more |
47 |
55 |
56 |
|
Try to spend more time with my family members, loved ones or friends |
34 |
37 |
41 |
|
Pray more often or more intently |
21 |
17 |
24 |
|
Turn more often to my church or house of worship |
10 |
9 |
11 |
|
Seek medical/psychological advice or treatment |
3 |
9 |
4 |
|
Other |
6 |
6 |
8 |
|
None |
38 |
22 |
29 |
|
TABLE 4 CURRENT EXPERIENCES "Which of the following, if any, do you currently experience as a result of 9/11? Please select all that apply." Base: All Adults |
||||
Total |
Was in NYC or |
Had |
||
% |
% |
% |
||
Any (Net) |
46 |
62 |
54 |
|
I feel more anxious when I fly |
19 |
29 |
23 |
|
I want revenge against terrorists |
18 |
17 |
20 |
|
I feel nervous when I see people dressed in traditional Muslim attire |
14 |
13 |
15 |
|
I feel more anxious when visiting big cities in the US, especially NYC or Washington, D.C. |
9 |
12 |
13 |
|
I feel anxious when attending sporting or other events where there are large numbers of people present |
9 |
9 |
13 |
|
I travel abroad less |
7 |
8 |
11 |
|
Other |
6 |
7 |
8 |
|
None |
54 |
38 |
46 |
|
TABLE 5 FRIENDS OR FAMILY IN OR NEARBY NYC OR WASH, D.C. "Did you have any family or friends who were in or nearby New York City or Washington, D.C. on 9/11/01?" Base: All Adults |
||
Total % |
||
Yes |
31 |
|
No |
69 |
|
TABLE 6 PERSONAL DISTANCE FROM NYC OR WASH, D.C. "How far away were you from New York City or Washington, D.C. (whichever of the two you were closes to) on 9/11/01? If you are not sure, please provide your best guess." Base: All Adults |
||
Total % |
||
In NYC or Wash, D.C. (Net) |
4 |
|
In NYC |
3 |
|
In Wash, D.C. |
1 |
|
Within 10 miles |
1 |
|
Within 11-20 miles |
2 |
|
Within 21-100 miles |
6 |
|
Within 101-500 miles |
15 |
|
Within 501-1,000 miles |
18 |
|
Within 1,001-2,000 miles |
21 |
|
2,001 miles or farther |
34 |
|
Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States August 25 to 29, 2011 among 2,202 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
Full data available at www.harrisinteractive.com.
The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written permission of Harris Interactive.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
SOURCE Harris Interactive
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