Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) conducted a nationwide opinion poll during the period of April 12–23, 2012. 2038 respondents were interviewed; the survey covered all regions of Ukraine (including the city of Kyiv) and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea; sample was random and representative for the population of Ukraine aged 18 years and older.

Statistical sampling error (probability 0.95 and the design-effect 1.5) does not exceed 3.3% for index close to 50%, 2,8% — index close to 25%, 2,0% — index close to 10%, 1,4% — index close to 5%.

Question about the attitude of Ukrainian population towards the results of opinion polls were asked in 2002, 2004 and 2009. The respondents also expressed their views on the polls in the April 2012 survey.

The study showed that:

• The level of trust in the results of sociological surveys conducted by organizations which have long been working, has significantly increased among the population of Ukraine in the past 10 years (from 36% in 2002 to 51% in 2012). Confidence level in 2004 (47%) and 2009 (45%;the difference between 47% and 45% is not statistically significant) showed intermediate values between the level of trust in sociological studies in 2002 and 2012. Now the percentage of those who trust (51%),is almost four times higher than the percentage of those who do not trust (13%). Approximately one third of the population is not defined with his attitude towards the results of sociological research.
• By Gender. Women are more likely to believe into the results of sociological researches (53%) than men (48%); 15% of men and 11% of womendo not trust the results of sociological surveys.
• By Age.The smallest level of confidence observed among the age groups 30–39 (47%) and 70+ (46%). The highest level of confidence in the results of sociological surveys is found in the age group 40–49 (55%).
• The difference in confidence level in sociological data is insignificantbetween the groups defined by region, education level and commitment to the major political parties.
• The balance of trust and distrust in social centers (percentage of those who trust, minus the percentage of those who distrust) is 38%, what is lower than the balance of trust in church (45%), but higher than the trust in the media (12%), non-governmental organizations (-2%) and the army (-2%), and much higher than the trust in the opposition (29%), the President of Ukraine (-44%), the police (-47%), the Government of Ukraine (-53%) and Parliament (-61%). See. http://old.kiis.com.ua/ua/news/view-152.html

Comment of the CEO of KIIS, PhD V.Paniotto (NUKMA):

It's nice that the credibility of sociological centers has a positive trend. The balance of trust and distrust (38%) is very high. As for comparisons of the trust-distrust in social institutions, we must treat it with care. First, we asked about trust not in all social organizations, but only in those who have long working experience and publish their research data, and questions about the media or social associations were designed to be general, concerning all together. Second, questions about the sociologists and other institutions had different scales (3-point and 5-point respectively), what might also have some small effect on the results.