Correlates of attitudes toward COVID-19-related public health policies and prevention practices in six states

Abstract

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly impacted communities, however there is limited information about the beliefs, behaviors, and trust in government responses of populations across the country. It may be especially useful to understand state-based and regional differences that people reported early in the pandemic, to inform national and regional public health policies and communication strategies. This paper reports on correlates of perceptions of state and federal policies and prevention practices in six states with varying trajectories of COVID-19 cases and deaths, during the first major wave of the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of COVID-19 policies, perceptions, and behaviors in six states (three in the northeast/mid-Atlantic and three in the southeastern United States), was conducted in April 2020 using an online platform of research volunteers. The survey asked about demographics; use of and belief about the effectiveness of preventive behaviors; experience with COVID-19 testing, diagnosis, quarantine, and hospitalization; risk behaviors and perception; opinion of local, state, and federal government guidelines and information; sources of information; and scales measuring time perspective and collectivism/individualism. Results: Responses from 1476 adults in six states showed that the most often-practiced prevention practices involved social distancing, and that reactions to federal government policies differed regionally and by political party affiliation. Conclusions: These findings improve understanding of how Americans view government responses to the pandemic, and their prevention practices, early in the pandemic. These data will help to create more effective public health policies to control the pandemic and achieve public support for control measures.