Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) results

Poll data released this week by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky indicates the economy and healthcare are the two most important issues for Kentucky’s registered voters. The Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) found Kentuckians trust Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney to do a better job on those issues. Respondents said they trust President Barack Obama more on education.

When asked what they thought were the two most important issues for the 2012 Presidential election, nearly two out of three people (65%) indicated the economy was either the first or second most important issue in deciding their vote. More than four in ten (42%) said that healthcare was one of the two most important issues for them. The poll asked registered voters which of the two leading candidates they trusted to do a better job on the following domestic and foreign policy issues:

Dealing with the federal budget deficit: Romney 49%; Obama 36%
Dealing with the economy and jobs: Romney 48%; Obama 36%
Dealing with the future of the 2010 healthcare law: Romney 45%; Obama 40%
Addressing terrorism: Romney 43%; Obama 42%
Dealing with the situation in Afghanistan: Romney 42%; Obama 40%
Improving education: Obama 45%; Romney 40%
Looking out for the best interests of women: Obama 42%; Romney 40%
Making decisions about women’s reproductive health choices and services: Obama 41%; Romney 38%

“This poll gives us a reliable snapshot of the issues most important to Kentucky voters as they decide who they will vote for on November 6,” stated Dr. Susan Zepeda, President/CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. “Regardless of the outcomes of the election, our Foundation believes it is essential for our elected officials to know what Kentuckians think about these issues.”

Download the full report, Kentuckians’ Views on Presidential Race, here.

The KHIP was funded by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati. The poll was conducted September 20-October 14, 2012, by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati. A random sample of 1,680 adults from throughout Kentucky was interviewed by telephone, including landlines and cell phones. This sample included 1,160 adults who indicated they were registered to vote. Of the registered voters surveyed, 49% were Democrats, 43% were Republicans, and 8% were Independents. The poll has a margin of error of ±2.5%.

The poll did not ask participants which candidate for President they plan on voting for.