Washington ? A majority of U.S. Catholics believe church leaders have tried to cover up child sexual abuse by priests rather than deal with the problem.

A survey conducted Feb. 25-March 10 by the Pew Research Center and Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life asked 2,000 adults a range of questions about religious issues.

Fifty-six percent of Catholics polled said church leaders have “mostly tried to cover up the problem,” while 32 percent said leaders have “mostly tried to deal with” it.

Of all those surveyed, non-Catholics as well as Catholics, 62 percent said church leaders have tried to cover up the abuse, and only 26 percent said the leaders have tried to deal with it.