Older People are Less Pessimistic about the Health Risks of Covid-19

Bordalo, Pedro; Coffman, Katherine; Gennaioli, Nicola; Shleifer, Andrei

doi:10.3386/w27494

Cited by 51 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…4 This may be related to differences in perception of COVID-19 risk among rural residents, who did not initially perceive their risk to be high. 16 This may also be related to the fact that major metropolitan areas were the first impacted by COVID-19, which may have informed public perception that the spread of COVID-19 was primarily an urban problem. 17 In this case, rural populations may not have adopted preventive behaviors, such as social distancing or facemasking, as early as their metropolitan counterparts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One explanation for the rising rates in nonmetropolitan America is that rural communities may have missed some opportunities to contain the spread of COVID‐19 despite factors, such as low population density and limited travel to and from rural locations, which could have resulted in less opportunity for COVID‐19 exposure 4 . This may be related to differences in perception of COVID‐19 risk among rural residents, who did not initially perceive their risk to be high 16 . This may also be related to the fact that major metropolitan areas were the first impacted by COVID‐19, which may have informed public perception that the spread of COVID‐19 was primarily an urban problem 17 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nonmetropolitan COVID‐19 Incidence and Mortality Rates Surpassed Metropolitan Rates Within the First 24 Weeks of the Pandemic Declaration: United States, March 1–October 18, 2020

Matthews

Ullrich

Gaglioti

et al. 2021

The Journal of Rural Health

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Methods: County-level COVID-19 case, death, and population counts were downloaded from USAFacts.org. The 2013 NCHS Urban-Rural Classification Scheme was collapsed into two categories called metropolitan (large central, large fringe, medium, and small metropolitans) and nonmetropolitan (micropolitan/noncore). Daily COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates were computed to show temporal trends for each of these two categories. Maps showing the ratio of nonmetropolitan to metropolitan COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates by state identify states with higher rates in nonmetropolitan areas than in metropolitan areas in each of the three 11-week periods.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonmetropolitan COVID‐19 Incidence and Mortality Rates Surpassed Metropolitan Rates Within the First 24 Weeks of the Pandemic Declaration: United States, March 1–October 18, 2020

Matthews

Ullrich

Gaglioti

et al. 2021

The Journal of Rural Health

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“…17 Other studies have shown mixed results by age, with some reporting higher risk perceptions for older adults 18 and others lower. 19 Our study showed that older respondents were more likely to view social gatherings with many people and indoor activities as unsafe, yet more likely to view activities such as going to the grocery store, participating in outdoor activities, visiting elderly relatives, and visiting the doctor or emergency room as safe.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

“…As of January 2021, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID- 19), has infected more than 23 million people and contributed to over 390,000 deaths in the United States. 1 The negative health and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic -including morbidity and mortality; decreased access to health care; and lost jobs and economic hardships -have not been experienced equally, and instead have impacted certain communities in greater numbers and with increased severity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 risk perceptions of social interaction and essential activities and inequity in the United States: Results from a nationally representative survey

Erchick

Zapf

Baral

et al. 2021

Preprint

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IntroductionSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) related diagnoses, hospitalizations, and deaths have disproportionately affected disadvantaged communities across the United States. Few studies have sought to understand how risk perceptions related to social interaction and essential activities during the COVID-19 pandemic vary by sociodemographic factors, information that could inform targeted interventions to reduce inequities in access to care and information.MethodsWe conducted a nationally representative online survey of 1,592 adults in the United States to understand risk perceptions related to transmission of COVID-19 for various social and essential activities. We assessed relationships for each activity, after weighting to adjust for the survey design, using bivariate comparisons and multivariable logistic regression modeling, between responses of safe and unsafe, and participant characteristics, including age, gender, race, education, income, and political affiliation.ResultsHalf of participants were younger than 45 years (n=844, 53.0%), female (n=800, 50.3%), and White/Caucasian (n=685, 43.0%), Black/African American (n=410, 25.8%), or Hispanic/Latino (n=382, 24.0%). Risk perceptions of unsafe for 13 activities ranged from 29.2% to 73.5%. Large gatherings, indoor dining, and visits with elderly relatives had the highest proportion of unsafe responses (>58%) while activities outdoor, visiting the doctor or dentist, and going to the grocery store had the lowest (<36%). Older respondents were more likely to view social gatherings and indoor activities as unsafe, yet more likely to view activities such as going to the grocery store, participating in outdoor activities, visiting elderly relatives, and visiting the doctor or emergency room as safe. Compared to White/Caucasian respondents, Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino respondents were more likely to view activities such as dining and visiting friends outdoor as unsafe. Generally, men vs. women, Republicans vs. Democrats and independents, and individuals with higher vs. lower income were more likely to view activities as safe.ConclusionsThese findings suggest the importance of sociodemographic differences in risk perception, health behaviors, and access to information and health care when implementing efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research should address how evidence-based interventions can be tailored considering these differences with a goal of increased health equity in the pandemic response.

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“…However, perhaps surprisingly, survey research has shown that older Americans tend to be less pessimistic about COVID-19 health risks(Bordalo et al 2020).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%