Face-covering use up, more people are taking COVID-19 threats seriously,
study finds

Date:
September 23, 2020
Source:
University of Central Florida
Summary:
A new survey of six U.S. states has found that during the past
two months, more people are wearing masks, vaccine uncertainty
is on the rise, and many people are overestimating their risk of
becoming seriously ill and dying from COVID-19.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A new National Science Foundation-funded survey of six states has found
that during the past two months, more people are wearing masks, vaccine uncertainty is on the rise, and many people are overestimating their
risk of becoming seriously ill and dying from COVID-19.


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The results are in a new report published this month by the Risk and
Social Policy Group, a team of more than 15 scholars across the country
that includes University of Central Florida associate professor Lindsay Neuberger.

"One of our primary goals is to get essential COVID-19 data into the
hands of policymakers to try to help guide not only policy but also the effective communication of those policies to increase public health," says Neuberger, who is with UCF's Nicholson School of Communication and Media.

"These data provide valuable insights into public perceptions and
behavior and demonstrate where messaging should be focused, such as
priority populations, and potential pathways for effective communication,"
she says.

The survey, conducted in August, is the second of a three-part, six-month
study that is examining perceptions and behaviors in response to the risk
of COVID- 19. The first survey was completed in late May and early June.

Respondents from the first survey were surveyed again for the next round
to track any changes.



==========================================================================
More than 2,000 people responded to the second survey. The respondents
were from Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan and
Washington.

The researchers selected the states to capture variation in
U.S. demographic and social factors.

Mask-Wearing Practices The researchers found that since late May and
early June, indoor mask wearing in public places has increased among
the respondents from 66% in the first survey to 79% in the second survey.

Although the reasons for this can't be determined from the survey,
Neuberger says the increase may be the result of more evidence that
supports mask wearing and an increase in mask policies at state, local
and business levels.



========================================================================== Survey respondents least likely to wear a mask in indoor, public spaces
were conservative men with high school and less than a four-year degree education levels.

Neuberger says one way to reach people not wearing masks may be to focus
on efficacy in risk communication messaging.

"Our data suggest one of the strongest predictors of mask wearing is
actually efficacy -- so the beliefs that one is both able to wear a
mask and the belief that a mask can be effective in avoiding a risk,"
she says. "I have not seen many efficacy-boosting messages, and I think
that could be a strong approach for future messaging." Chances of
Getting COVID-19 The respondents, on average, perceived they had a 30%
chance they would contract the virus in the next three months, a 2%
increase from survey one.

They perceived they had 36% chance of getting seriously ill from
COVID-19 and a 23% chance of dying from it, up 2 and 1%, respectively,
from survey one.

The researchers say that although individual risk is difficult
to calculate because of differences in people's choices to social
distance, wear protection and their pre-existing conditions, this is an overestimation of COVID-19 risks.

Current data from Johns Hopkins University estimates there is a 97%
survival rate for COVID-19. However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention states that people of any age with certain underlying
medical conditions are at an increased risk for severe illness from
COVID-19.

Will People Get Vaccines? People intending to get a vaccine decreased
from 54 to 46% from the first to second survey.

The main reasons they did not intend to get a vaccine included: vaccine
safety, vaccine effectiveness and high potential cost.

Information Seeking Respondents stated that they received most of their COVID-19 information from television if using traditional media and
Facebook if using social media.

Survey Administration Qualtrics, a U.S.-based survey company, conducted
the surveys through its online panels in which people sign up to take
surveys for a fee.

Qualtrics implemented quotas to recruit a sample for each state that
is roughly representative of the state's age, race and ethnicity, and
income demographics based on U.S. Census data.

Due to the attrition of about 900 respondents from the first survey of
more than 3,000 individuals, there was a higher proportion of young,
white, female respondents relative to census demographics for each state.

What's Next? The group will distribute the third survey in October,
and the subsequent report will be available at the group's website
(https:// www.riskandsocialpolicy.org/), where the survey one report
can also be found.

In addition to UCF, other universities involved in the study included
Duke University, Colorado School of Public Health, North Carolina State University, the University of Colorado Denver, Bentley University,
University of Nevada Reno, University of Maryland, Montana State
University and Wayne State University.

Neuberger earned her doctorate in communication with a specialization in
health and politics from Michigan State University and her master's in communication and bachelor's in political science and communication from
Wake Forest University. She is an expert in health, risk and strategic communication.

Neuberger joined UCF's Nicholson School of Communication and Media, part
of UCF's College of Sciences, in 2011, is a member of UCF's Sustainable
Coastal Systems Cluster, and is an affiliate faculty member in UCF's
Women's and Gender Studies program.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
University_of_Central_Florida. Original written by Robert Wells. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


==========================================================================


Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200923164609.htm

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