Poll: Most worry about fiscal issues

PRINCETON, N.J., March 21 (UPI) -- Americans worry a lot about fiscal issues such as the economy, federal spending and the budget deficit, a Gallup poll released Monday indicated.

Seventy-one percent of Americans said they worry about the economy "a great deal" while 64 percent said they worried a great deal about federal spending and the deficit, results of Gallup's poll of 14 national issues indicated.

The availability and affordability of energy is the only issue about which Americans have become more concerned since last year, from 38 percent in 2010 to 46 percent, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said.

The economy and unemployment were the top concerns for Republicans, independents and Democrats, results indicated. Majorities of Republicans and Democrats also said they were highly worried about Social Security.

Majorities of Republicans said they worry a great deal about federal spending, the federal government's size and power, and immigration.

Healthcare was another top concern for Democrats.

For independents, the top issues were the economy, unemployment, federal spending and healthcare, Gallup said.

Women were more likely to be worried about healthcare, hunger/homelessness issues, Social Security, crime, unemployment, the environment and drug use. Adults 18 to 34 were more likely to be concerned about the quality of the environment and less likely to be worried about Social Security than older Americans, results indicated.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews conducted with 1,021 adults March 3-6. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.