Abstract
What is already known about this topic?Attitudes of disapproval toward public health measures led to behaviors that could increase vulnerability to contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).What is added by this report?Chinese citizens rated the necessity of mitigation measures for combating COVID-19 higher than did Americans (4.81 vs. 4.03 on a 1–5 scale). The China–US difference was attributable to 1) Chinese citizens having more confidence in scientists than Americans and 2) Chinese citizens almost invariably accepting the necessity of COVID-19 mitigation measures, regardless of their confidence in scientists. What are the implications for public health practice?Building public support for population health measures and public trust in science is crucial for handling epidemic crises.
Highlights
Differences in the number of COVID-19 infections between China and the United States (US) might arise in part from different attitudes toward public health measures
This study examined the China–US difference in attitudes toward COVID-19 mitigation measures and evaluated the role of belief in science in the China–US difference in the attitudes
The research findings suggest that building public support for population health measures and public trust in science is crucial for handling epidemic crises, especially in individualistic societies where citizen consent to public policy is key for policy effectiveness
Summary
Belief in Science and Attitudes Toward COVID-19: A Demographic Standardization Approach to China–US Comparison, 2020. The survey found that Chinese respondents rated higher the necessity of mitigation measures for combating COVID-19 than did Americans. Attitudes of disapproval toward public health measures led to behaviors that could increase vulnerability to contracting COVID-19 (3) Nonpharmaceutical interventions such as lockdowns played an important role in containing COVID-19 in China (4). In terms of attitudes toward COVID-19 by belief in science (Figure 2), Chinese respondents without confidence in scientists gave lower ratings to the necessity of COVID-19 mitigation measures (4.17), B. The average scores rating the necessity of COVID-19 mitigation measures (in parentheses) corresponded to confidence in scientists as follows: no confidence at all in scientists (2.79), not too much confidence (3.24), a fair amount of confidence (4.02), and a great deal of confidence (4.65)
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