Many Americans believe that at least some health decisions are best made by the adults who are most affected, not by the people who are traditionally seen as authority figures — such as teachers and doctors. The latest Economist/YouGov Poll asked about decisions on both COVID and cancer. It found that 42% of Americans say parents should have most of the authority to decide if K-12 students should wear masks; just 7% say teachers. While more Americans would give doctors than patients or their families the authority when it comes to deciding on medical treatments, more than one-third think treatment decisions for COVID-19 or cancer should lie with patients or their families. When it comes to masks being required in doctors’ offices, though, 56% of Americans think doctors should get to decide.

The preference for individual decision-making for each of the questions asked in the poll is especially strong among Americans who are not vaccinated, particularly the 21% who say they will not get vaccinated. The will-not-get-vaccinated group has a distinct political identity: It is composed of more than four times as many Republicans as Democrats.