More Americans worried about cancer, heart disease than COVID-19: Gallup

More Americans are concerned about getting cancer or heart disease than they are COVID-19, according to a new Gallup poll.

The survey released Thursday found 50 percent of respondents worry about getting cancer and 44 percent about contracting heart disease, while 41 percent have fears of a coronavirus infection. 

Other illnesses and conditions Americans are less concerned about include strokes, at 35 percent; diabetes, at 31 percent; the flu, at 24 percent; and AIDS, at 9 percent. 

The poll numbers come shortly after the U.S. reached 800,000 COVID-19 deaths almost two years after the pandemic began.

Although the coronavirus poses a greater threat to older Americans, the Gallup survey did not find significant differences by age group in terms of worry about contracting the virus.

Women are more concerned about getting the coronavirus than men, at 43 percent and 38 percent, respectively.

Those who are overweight are most concerned about getting the coronavirus, at 46 percent. 

A majority of those ages 50-64, women, overweight individuals and those who had cancer before are worried about getting cancer. 

COVID-19 has been the highest cause of death for multiple months in the past year, while heart disease is typically the leading cause of death in the U.S. Cancer has typically been the second leading cause of death.

The poll was conducted from Nov. 1 to Nov. 16 and surveyed 815 adults. Its margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.