Senior Women Web

Pew Research Center: Stats Informed, Inspired and Challenged Us to Take On Some of Today’s Most Pressing Issues

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1. 85% of Americans say political debate has become more negative
This year, the public rendered a harsh judgment on the state of political discourse over the past several years in the US, according to a Pew Research Center survey.

  • 85 percent said it had become “less respectful”political discourse graph
  • 76 percent said “less fact-based”
  • 60 percent said “less issues-focused”
FULL RESULTS
2. Flood-related disasters have cost the US $845 billion since 2000
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Flooding is the most common — and most costly — natural disaster in the US, but it doesn’t have to be.

  • Every $1 spent on disaster mitigation saves $6.
  • 77% of Americans say federally funded infrastructure must be flood ready.

Some ways communities are using policy to prepare for flooding:

Map: See how much your state could save with federal investments in mitigation.
3. Only about 400 North Atlantic right whales remain
Scientists calculate that even one North Atlantic right whale death a year is too many if the population is to recover. The main threats: ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear.

Time is running out for this endangered species — but innovations like ropeless technology offer hope.
WHAT’S STILL NEEDED
4. U.S. newsroom employment down 25% since 2008
More Americans get news on social media than from print newspapers, and they expect it to be largely inaccurate, the Pew Research Center found.

In related news, newspapers are shrinking—fast:

Try the tool: See your city’s local news habits.
5. Americans suffered 2.8 million-plus superbug infections
What’s more, antibiotic-resistant infections kill more than 35,000 Americans every year.

2 reasons the problem is so persistent:

  • Up to 50 percent of antibiotic use in humans is unnecessary as prescribed.
  • Deficiencies in antibiotic development: Too few new drugs are in the pipeline to replace ineffective ones.

Priorities for 2020:

  • Reduce antibiotic use in human medicine.
  • Improve antibiotic use in animals.
  • Fix the broken antibiotic market.
  • Ensure stewardship and innovation funding.
  • Continue building international solutions.

Take the quiz: Test your superbug IQ

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