Objective

To examine perceptions, behaviors, and impacts surrounding COVID-19 early in the pandemic response.

Materials and methods

A cross-sectional survey of 1,030 U.S. adults was administered on March 31st, 2020. This survey examined attitudes toward media, government, and community responses to COVID-19 by political ideology and sociodemographic factors. Knowledge, anxieties, and impacts of COVID-19 were also assessed.

Results

Conservatives were more likely to report that COVID-19 was receiving too much media coverage and people were generally overreacting; liberals were more likely to report the government had not done enough in response to the pandemic. Females and those with lower income experienced more COVID-19 related economic anxieties. Those working and with children at home reported higher social, home, and work disruption. Social distancing behaviors were more common among liberals and were associated with increases in depressive symptoms. General knowledge about COVID-19 was widely exhibited across the sample, however, Black and Hispanic respondents were less likely to correctly answer questions about the availability of a vaccine and modes of transmission.

Conclusions

Public health experts should consider the political climate in crafting messaging that appeals to the values of those across the political spectrum. Research on the COVID-19 pandemic should continue to monitor the effects of social distancing on mental health and among vulnerable populations.

中文翻译：

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美国社交距离最初几周内对 COVID-19 的政治和个人反应

客观的

旨在研究大流行应对初期对 COVID-19 的看法、行为和影响。

材料和方法

2020 年 3 月 31 日对 1,030 名美国成年人进行了一项横断面调查。这项调查通过政治意识形态和社会人口因素考察了媒体、政府和社区对 COVID-19 反应的态度。还评估了 COVID-19 的知识、焦虑和影响。

结果

保守派更有可能报告说，媒体对 COVID-19 的报道过多，人们普遍反应过度；自由派更有可能报告政府在应对这一流行病方面做得不够。女性和低收入人群经历了更多与 COVID-19 相关的经济焦虑。那些在家工作和有孩子的人报告说，社交、家庭和工作受到的干扰更大。社会疏远行为在自由派中更为常见，并且与抑郁症状的增加有关。样本中广泛展示了有关 COVID-19 的常识，然而，黑人和西班牙裔受访者不太可能正确回答有关疫苗的可用性和传播方式的问题。

结论

公共卫生专家在制定吸引不同政治派别价值观的信息时应考虑政治气候。关于 COVID-19 大流行的研究应继续监测社交距离对心理健康和弱势群体的影响。