TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevention is political
T2 - political party affiliation predicts perceived risk and prevention behaviors for COVID-19
AU - Kiviniemi, Marc T.
AU - Orom, Heather
AU - Hay, Jennifer L.
AU - Waters, Erika A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Background: Many US politicians have provided mixed messages about the risks posed by SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 and whether and to what extent prevention practices should be put in place to prevent transmission. This politicization of the virus and pandemic may affect individuals’ risk perceptions and willingness to take precautions. We examined how political party affiliation relates to risk perception for one’s own and other people’s likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection/COVID-19 illness. Methods: We surveyed members of a nationally-representative, probability-sampling based survey panel (N = 410) to examine their risk perceptions, precautionary behaviors, and political party affiliation. Results: The more strongly one identified as a Republican, the less risk one perceived to oneself from SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 and the less risk one perceived other people faced. Moreover, those identifying as more strongly Republican engaged in fewer preventive behaviors. Conclusions: This differential response may affect virus transmission patterns and poses a considerable challenge for health communications efforts.
AB - Background: Many US politicians have provided mixed messages about the risks posed by SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 and whether and to what extent prevention practices should be put in place to prevent transmission. This politicization of the virus and pandemic may affect individuals’ risk perceptions and willingness to take precautions. We examined how political party affiliation relates to risk perception for one’s own and other people’s likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection/COVID-19 illness. Methods: We surveyed members of a nationally-representative, probability-sampling based survey panel (N = 410) to examine their risk perceptions, precautionary behaviors, and political party affiliation. Results: The more strongly one identified as a Republican, the less risk one perceived to oneself from SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 and the less risk one perceived other people faced. Moreover, those identifying as more strongly Republican engaged in fewer preventive behaviors. Conclusions: This differential response may affect virus transmission patterns and poses a considerable challenge for health communications efforts.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Political affiliation
KW - Preventive behaviors
KW - Risk perception
KW - SARS-CoV-2
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85124578881&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85124578881&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12889-022-12649-4
DO - 10.1186/s12889-022-12649-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 35164719
AN - SCOPUS:85124578881
SN - 1471-2458
VL - 22
JO - BMC Public Health
JF - BMC Public Health
IS - 1
M1 - 298
ER -
