The effect of COVID-19 on public confidence in the World Health Organization: a natural experiment among 40 countries

Abstract

Background At a time when a highly contagious pandemic and global political and economic turmoil are intertwined, worldwide cooperation under the leadership of an international organization has become increasingly important. This study aimed to estimate the effect of COVID-19 on public confidence in the World Health Organization (WHO), which will serve as a reference for other international organizations regarding the maintenance of their credibility in crisis management and ability to play a greater role in global health governance. Methods We obtained individual data from the World Values Survey (WVS). A total of 44,775 participants aged 16 and older from 40 countries in six WHO regions were included in this study. The COVID-19 pandemic was used as a natural experiment. We obtained difference-in-differences (DID) estimates of the pandemic’s effects by exploiting temporal variation in the timing of COVID-19 exposure across participants interviewed from 2017 to 2020 together with the geographical variation in COVID-19 severity at the country level. Public confidence in the WHO was self-reported by the respondents. Results Among the participants, 28,087 (62.73%) reported having confidence in the WHO. The DID estimates showed that the COVID-19 pandemic could significantly decrease the likelihood of people reporting confidence in the WHO after controlling for multiple covariates (adjusted OR 0.54, 95% CI: 0.49–0.61), especially during the global outbreak (0.35, 0.24–0.50). The effect was found in both younger individuals (0.58, 0.51–0.66) and older adults (0.49, 0.38–0.63) and in both males (0.47, 0.40–0.55) and females (0.62, 0.53–0.72), with a vulnerability in males (adjusted P for interaction = 0.008). Conclusion Our findings are relevant regarding the impact of COVID-19 on people’s beliefs about social institutions of global standing, highlighting the need for the WHO and other international organizations to shoulder the responsibility of global development for the establishment and maintenance of public credibility in the face of emergencies, as well as the prevention of confidence crises.

Impact of a pandemic shock on unmet medical needs of middle-aged and older adults in 10 countries

“…50 In the postpandemic era, the WHO also needs to assume greater international responsibilities in this field and rebuild trust among the people to prepare for the next pandemic. 51 The results of our study once again highlights the need for countries all over the world to take every opportunity to build resilient health systems and all-hazards emergency risk management based on a strong primary healthcare foundation and rebuild the health systems sustainably, more equitably and closer to communities. 52 There are also some shortcomings in this study.…”

“…Indeed, the WHO has released a position paper calling on countries and the international community to build resilient health systems by integrating universal health cover and health security efforts during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond in 2021 50. In the postpandemic era, the WHO also needs to assume greater international responsibilities in this field and rebuild trust among the people to prepare for the next pandemic 51. The results of our study once again highlights the need for countries all over the world to take every opportunity to build resilient health systems and all-hazards emergency risk management based on a strong primary healthcare foundation and rebuild the health systems sustainably, more equitably and closer to communities 52…”

Pre-service science teachers’ reflections on COVID-19 control and prevention measures

“…Pandemic control and preventative measures implemented need to instill confidence in people in that they work when they are juxtaposed with the absence of such control and preventative measures (Guo et al, 2022;Low et al, 2022). Related to this, pre-service science teacher P10 said: Social distancing was not practiced all times.…”