Confidence in science and vaccines has plummeted among Brazilians, according to a survey

A new survey by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) shows that there is a decrease in the number of Brazilians who trust science and vaccines, although they still represent the majority of the population. Called Confidence in Science in Brazil in Times of Pandemic, the survey also shows that most of the country is aware of the existence of climate change and attributes the cause to human actions.

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Home, in-person, and individual interviews were conducted with 2,069 subjects, aged 16 or over, from August to October of this year. 68.9% of respondents said they trust science or trust it very much. Already 23.5% said they don’t trust them very much. 5.8% said they did not trust him, and 1.8% did not know or did not want to answer.

The survey also shows regional differences. While nationally, 29.3% of Brazilians say they have little or no faith in science, in the Midwest that number is 43.3%. in the northeast, 30.6%; in the south, 28.2%; in the southeast 27.2% and in the north 26.1%.

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Although they cannot be directly compared because they involve different research methods, those responsible for the Fiocruz survey cite results from the State of Science Index, a large-scale global study, in which more than 90% of respondents agreed with the statement, “I trust science.”

For them, the data indicates that Brazilians’ confidence “seems to have been negatively affected by organized disinformation campaigns, which have grown in quantity and impact during the Covid-19 pandemic,” they wrote in the research.

They add, “This points to a scenario of challenges for managers, scientists, educators, and communication professionals, who need to design public science communications strategies that take into account site specifics, public profile, and context.”

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Vaccines and climate change

Regarding vaccination, 86.7% of respondents agree that it is important for protecting public health, although 40% believe that pharmaceutical companies “hide the dangers” of immunization devices. 46.4% also say the side effects carry risks.

Specifically for Covid-19, 73% agree that vaccines help end the pandemic. However, approximately 13% do not intend to take booster shots and approximately 8% of those who have children or minors under their charge do not intend to be vaccinated. For 46.7% of respondents, the federal government has misinformed about vaccines.

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The researchers also asked about climate change. The majority (91%) admit that they occur, while less than 6% believe that they do not exist. For 30.6%, Brazil is one of the best environmentally friendly countries, although 42.8% disagree with this statement.