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The world’s largest study into how people around the world think and feel about science and major health challenges.

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The Wellcome Global Monitor is the world’s largest study into how people around the world think and feel about science and major health challenges. 

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  • findings about global attitudes to science and health based on a survey with over 140,000 people in more than 140 countries 
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  • researchers
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  • science communicators
  • public engagement practitioners
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Key findings
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Key findings
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Doctors and nurses are most trusted for health advice.

  • 73% of people worldwide would trust a doctor or nurse more than any other source of health advice, including family, friends, religious leaders or famous people.
  • Across the world, people with the lowest household income have less confidence in hospitals and healthcare systems.

What we know about science – and how we think it benefits society.

  • Overall, 72% of people globally trust scientists.
  • Over half (57%) of the world's population don’t think they know much – if anything – about science.

More than three-quarters of the world’s population agree that vaccines are safe and effective.

  • Worldwide, 79% of people agree that vaccines are safe and 84% agree that they are effective.
  • Bangladesh and Rwanda have the strongest confidence in vaccines – with almost all people in both countries agreeing that vaccines are safe, effective and that it is important for children to be vaccinated.

Significant gap in what men and women say they know about science.

  • Men are more likely to claim greater knowledge of science than women. This gender gap exists even when men and women report equal levels of science attainment.
  • Globally, 49% of men worldwide say they know 'some' or 'a lot' about science, compared with 38% of women.
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Jeremy Farrar, Director of Wellcome
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"Wellcome Global Monitor presents an unprecedented view of the relationship between science and society worldwide. No matter how great your idea, how exciting your new treatment, or how robust your science, it must be accepted by the people who stand to benefit from it. Vaccines, for example, are one of our most powerful public health tools, and we need people to have confidence in them if they are to be most effective."
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Infographic showing Net difference in belief that vaccines are safe, between those with and without tertiary education (% points)
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John Burns-Murdoch/Wellcome
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Infographic showing Net difference in belief that vaccines are safe, between those with and without tertiary education (% points)
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Infographic showing Share of people who say they know a lot about science, by gender and the highest level of science education they have obtained
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Infographic showing Share of people who say they know a lot about science, by gender and the highest level of science education they have obtained
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Infographic showing Share of people who do or do not have confidence in hospitals, by level of financial wellbeing (%)
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John Burns-Murdoch/Wellcome
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Infographic showing Share of people who do or do not have confidence in hospitals, by level of financial wellbeing (%)
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Infographic showing Net difference in belief that vaccines are safe, between those with the most and least trust in the government (% points)
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Infographic showing Net difference in belief that vaccines are safe, between those with the most and least trust in the government (% points)
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Infographic showing % of people with different levels of trust in government and in science
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Infographic showing % of people with different levels of trust in government and in science
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Infographic showing Share of people who agree or disagree that vaccines are safe, by highest level of education attained (%)
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John Burns-Murdoch/Wellcome
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Infographic showing Share of people who agree or disagree that vaccines are safe, by highest level of education attained (%)
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Infographic showing Share of people who agree or disagree that vaccines are safe, by level of trust in government (%)
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Infographic showing Share of people who agree or disagree that vaccines are safe, by level of trust in government (%)
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Infographic showing % of people who believe vaccines are safe, by country and global region
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You can share any resources on this page, including images and videos, but only to promote the Wellcome Global Monitor. Use the hashtag #WMonitor.

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Women working at the Sanitary Pad Unit on the Amgoorie Tea Estate in Assam, India.
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Women working at the Sanitary Pad Unit on the Amgoorie Tea Estate in Assam, India.
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Zora the Robot Care-Giver helps people with communication and provides comfort and entertainment in a healthcare setting in France.
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A health educator talks to women about mother and child healthcare in a village in Chad. 
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A health educator talks to women about mother and child healthcare in a village in Chad. 
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Face to face interview taking place in Nepal as part of the Gallup World Poll 2018.
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Face to face interview taking place in Benin as part of the Gallup World Poll 2018..
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Wellcome Global Monitor surveyed over 140,000 people from more than 140 countries to understand what they think and feel about science and major health challenges.
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How do people feel about vaccines?
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Foreword
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https://wellcome.ac.uk/reports/wellcome-global-monitor/2018/foreword
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Summary of key findings
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https://wellcome.org/reports/wellcome-global-monitor/2018/summary-key-findings
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Chapter 1: Introduction
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https://wellcome.org/reports/wellcome-global-monitor/2018/chapter-1-introduction
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Chapter 2: Understanding and interest in science and health
Link
https://wellcome.org/reports/wellcome-global-monitor/2018/chapter-2-understanding-and-interest-science-and-health
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Chapter 3: Trust in science and health professionals
Link
https://wellcome.org/reports/wellcome-global-monitor/2018/chapter-3-trust-science-and-health-professionals
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Chapter 4: Science and society
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https://wellcome.org/reports/wellcome-global-monitor/2018/chapter-4-science-and-society
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Chapter 5: Attitudes to vaccines
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https://wellcome.org/reports/wellcome-global-monitor/2018/chapter-5-attitudes-vaccines
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WGM full report
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wellcome-global-monitor-2018.pdf (3.53 MB)
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Wellcome Global Monitor 2018
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The world’s largest study into how people around the world think and feel about science and major health challenges.
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Public Engagement team
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Report
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WGM full report
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wgm2018-methodology.pdf (545.89 KB)
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Appendix A: Methodology
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WGM full report
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wgm2018-questionnaire.pdf (2.13 MB)
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Appendix B: Questionnaire
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WGM full report
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Appendix C: Country-level data
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https://wellcome.org/reports/wellcome-global-monitor/2018/appendix-country-level-data
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Appendix D: Dataset and crosstabs for all countries
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https://wellcome.org/sites/default/files/wgm2018-dataset-crosstabs-all-countries.xlsx
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WGM full report
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Africa findings
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Read a summary of the findings from Africa and download the full dataset.

Africa report: summary

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For media enquiries, contact Hannah Franklin at +44 (0)20 7611 8536 or mediaoffice@wellcome.org.

For any other questions, contact the team at W.GlobalMonitor@wellcome.org.

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