Truth About Emotional Impact of 9-11

September 2026

Twenty-five years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a majority of poll respondents say the emotional impact remains vivid and “still raw,” according to the latest Mount Sinai South Nassau “Truth in Medicine” poll.

Among poll respondents in New York City and on Long Island who were 21 or older at the time of the attack, 73 percent say the 9/11 tragedy remains vivid, with 34 percent saying it feels like “it happened just yesterday” and 39 percent agreeing that while it occurred a quarter-century ago, they feel the impact every day.

Meanwhile, a strong majority (77 percent) say schools should be required to teach students about 9/11 and its ramifications, and 87 percent of respondents said the federal government should continue to fund a program that provides no-cost medical monitoring and treatment to those with certifiable 9/11-related health conditions.

“Twenty-five years later, the trauma of 9/11 continues to have significant long-term physical and mental health impacts on our community,” said Joshua Kugler, MD, MHCM, Interim President, Mount Sinai South Nassau. “We must continue our advocacy and support for our friends, first responders, and neighbors who are still experiencing the physical and mental health impact of the day that changed our world forever.”

The “Truth in Medicine” poll, sponsored by FourLeaf, is the only hospital-based public health poll in the metro area that seeks to gauge public opinion on important health-related topics and spur discussion and education around those issues.

The poll of 600 adults age 30 and older in New York City and on Long Island was conducted by LJR Custom Strategies, a national independent pollster, from August 5-10 via both landlines and cellphones. Poll findings have a sampling error of plus or minus 3.9 percent.

Additional noteworthy “Truth in Medicine” poll findings include: 

• Most respondents believe the United States is less safe today than before 9/11 (27 percent say it is somewhat less safe, and 33 percent say it is much less safe).
  
• About two-thirds of poll respondents believe that the spirit of unity that the country felt after 9/11 has dissipated. These respondents see the country as more divided; 33 percent say unity is entirely gone, while 35 percent say the country can still unite in the face of a major crisis despite its divisions.
• On the education issue, most respondents say the themes schools should teach include: the power of national unity; volunteering and resilience; the evil of global terrorism and what drives terrorists; the historical timeline and political ramifications of the attacks; and the heroism of first responders and everyday citizens.
  

More than 75 percent of respondents age 46 and older today (meaning they were 21 or older at the time of 9/11) are still feeling the impact of the terror attacks a quarter-century later ... read more

• "Truth In Medicine" Poll Press Release
• "Truth In Medicine" Poll Results (PDF)