Many Suspect Hospital Treatment Contributed to COVID-19 Deaths

Nearly a third of Americans say someone they know died while being treated for COVID-19, and many think hospital treatment protocols may have been a factor in those deaths.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 32% of American Adults say somebody they know personally died from COVID-19 while being treated in a hospital, while 59% say they don’t, and 10% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Hospital treatment protocols for COVID-19 have been criticized by many, including health care professionals. Among those who know somebody who died from COVID-19 while being treated in a hospital, 47% believe it is likely that hospital treatment protocols for COVID-19 contributed to their death, including 30% who think it’s Very Likely. Thirty-six percent (36%) don’t consider it likely that treatment protocols contributed to such COVID-19 deaths, including 14% who say it’s Not At All Likely, while 17% are not sure.

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The survey of 1,382 American Adults was conducted on October 15-16 and 19, 2024 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

Thirty-four percent (34%) of Democrats, and 31% of both Republicans and those not affiliated with either major party, say somebody they know personally died from COVID-19 while being treated in a hospital.

Among those who know someone who died from COVID-19 while being treated in a hospital, 58% of Republicans, 34% of Democrats and 52% of the unaffiliated consider it at least somewhat likely that hospital treatment protocols contributed to their death.

Slightly more men (35%) than women (29%) say they know someone who died from COVID-19, but roughly equal numbers of men (46%) and women (48%) suspect that hospital treatment protocols contributed to those deaths.

Americans in their 30s are most likely to say someone who they know personally died from COVID-19. Women under 40 are most likely to suspect hospital treatment protocols were a factor in those deaths.

Thirty percent (30%) of whites, 33% of blacks, 40% of Hispanics and 30% of other minorities say somebody they know personally died from COVID-19 while being treated in a hospital. Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to believe that hospital treatment protocols for COVID-19 may have contributed to the deaths of those they know.

Americans with annual incomes between $30,000 and $50,000 are most likely to say someone they know died of COVID-19. Those earning more than $50,000 a year are less likely to suspect hospital treatment protocols were a factor in COVID-19 deaths.

Most Americans continue to see their financial situation as stagnant or worsening, and fewer than 1-in-5 report it’s getting better.

More Americans now say they don’t trust lawyers, and those who’ve hired an attorney before trust them even less. 

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

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