Wellcome Trust Monitor 2, 2012

<P>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</P>The <i>Wellcome Trust Monitor</i> is a unique survey of UK adults' (and in some waves, young people's) views around science and biomedical research. The findings are representative of the UK population and provide fresh and significant insights to inform science communication practice and how research priorities might be shaped, building a better understanding of the social context of biomedical research. The survey is repeated every three years and a large proportion of the questions recur in each wave. The aim of this tracking survey is to build a high-quality evidence base that explores trends and variations across time on both general scientific and medical themes and specific societal issues. This robust study also seeks to develop a more systematic approach to describing and understanding current interest in, attitudes towards and knowledge of science and biomedical research. There is flexibility within each wave to include a number of additional questions to explore new and topical areas of interest. <br>
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Further information is available from the <a class="external" href="http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/About-us/Publications/Reports/Public-engagement/WTX058859.htm" title="Wellcome Trust Monitor">Wellcome Trust Monitor</a> webpage.<br>
<br><br>The <i> Wellcome Trust Monitor 2, 2012</i> is the second survey in the series and was conducted in 2012 by Ipsos MORI. This wave of the survey was designed to provide comparability with findings from the baseline survey, carried out in 2009. The survey also aimed to build on the first wave, by refining the questionnaire and approach to maximise the level and quality of response from respondents.<br>
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For the second edition (July 2014) two variables 'hedqual' and 'hedqualad' were replaced with variable 'hedqual_rev' and 'hedqualad_rev'. The new variables provide separate coding than 'item not applicable' for those respondents with no qualifications. See documentation for further details. <br>
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<br><br><B>Main Topics</B>:<BR><br>The second Wellcome Trust Monitor questionnaire built heavily on the first, and comprised questions on the following topics:<br>
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<i>Adults and young people:</i><ul><li>media usage</li><li>awareness of and interest in medical research</li><li>knowledge of medical research</li><li>engagement with medical research</li><li>sources of information on medical research</li><li>expectations and concerns for medical research</li><li>scientific literacy</li><li>attitudes towards vaccinations</li><li>attitudes towards environment, nutrition and behaviour change</li><li>awareness of and attitudes towards cognitive enhancing drugs</li><li>understand of and attitudes towards genetic research</li></ul><i>Adults only:</i><ul><li>involvement in medical research</li><li>attitudes to science governance</li></ul><i>Young people only:</i><ul><li>out-of-school science-related activities</li><li>current education and future career aspirations</li><li>experience of school science</li><li>friends' and parents' interest in science</li><li>attitudes to science as a career</li></ul>