More than half of Lithuanians fear serious illness and homelessness, survey finds

A representative survey commissioned by Caritas Lithuania has found that more than half of the country’s adult population fears serious illness and homelessness above all other concerns, LRT reports.

According to the poll, 54% of respondents identified a serious illness as their greatest fear, while 53% cited the possibility of becoming homeless. Other major concerns included ending up in the place of a person with a disability (41%), becoming a war refugee (33%), or developing a dependency on psychoactive substances or gambling (26%).

The survey also explored which groups Lithuanians are most willing to help. Over half (52%) said they would assist the sick, while 41% would support people with disabilities. Help for war refugees was offered by 28% of respondents, followed by the homeless (26%), elderly individuals (24%), and lonely people (18%). Despite one in five Lithuanians fearing dependency issues, only 7% expressed willingness to aid those affected, and just 2% would help undocumented migrants. Another 3% stated they would not help anyone at all.

When asked if they had ever provided support, 26% of respondents reported aiding both hospital patients and war refugees, 19% had helped seniors, and 17% had assisted the homeless or people with disabilities. Support for lonely individuals was given by 12%, while 5% had helped those struggling with dependencies and 1% had aided undocumented migrants. Nearly a quarter (23%) of Lithuanians said they had never offered help to anyone.

The survey, titled “Whose shoes would you least want to be in?”, was conducted by Baltijos Tyrimai/The Gallup Organization between February 19 and March 2, 2026.