Politicization of COVID-19 health-protective behaviors in the United States: Longitudinal and cross-national evidence
Publication date
2021-10-20
Authors
Stroebe, Wolfgang
vanDellen, Michelle R.
Abakoumkin, Georgios
Lemay, Edward P.
Schiavone, William M.
Agostini, Maximilian
Bélanger, Jocelyn J.
Gützkow, Ben
Kreienkamp, Jannis
Reitsema, Anne Margit
Editors
Advisors
Supervisors
Document Type
Article
Metadata
Show full item recordCollections
License
cc_by
Abstract
During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. conservative politicians and the media downplayed the risk of both contracting COVID-19 and the effectiveness of recommended health behaviors. Health behavior theories suggest perceived vulnerability to a health threat and perceived effectiveness of recommended health-protective behaviors determine motivation to follow recommendations. Accordingly, we predicted that—as a result of politicization of the pandemic—politically conservative Americans would be less likely to enact recommended health-protective behaviors. In two longitudinal studies of U.S. residents, political conservatism was inversely associated with perceived health risk and adoption of health-protective behaviors over time. The effects of political orientation on health-protective behaviors were mediated by perceived risk of infection, perceived severity of infection, and perceived effectiveness of the health-protective behaviors. In a global cross-national analysis, effects were stronger in the U.S. (N = 10,923) than in an international sample (total N = 51,986), highlighting the increased and overt politicization of health behaviors in the U.S.
Keywords
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, COVID-19/epidemiology, Cross-Sectional Studies, Health Behavior, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Motivation, Pandemics/prevention & control, Politics, SARS-CoV-2, SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Citation
Stroebe, W, vanDellen, M R, Abakoumkin, G, Lemay, E P, Schiavone, W M, Agostini, M, Bélanger, J J, Gützkow, B, Kreienkamp, J, Reitsema, A M, Abdul Khaiyom, J H, Ahmedi, V, Akkas, H, Almenara, C A, Atta, M, Bagci, S C, Basel, S, Kida, E B, Bernardo, A B I, Buttrick, N R, Chobthamkit, P, Choi, H S, Cristea, M, Csaba, S, Damnjanović, K, Danyliuk, I, Dash, A, Di Santo, D, Douglas, K M, Enea, V, Faller, D G, Fitzsimons, G, Gheorghiu, A, Gómez, Á, Hamaidia, A, Han, Q, Helmy, M, Hudiyana, J, Jeronimus, B F, Jiang, D Y, Jovanović, V, Kamenov, Ž, Kende, A, Keng, S L, Kieu, T T T, Koc, Y, Kovyazina, K, Kozytska, I, Krause, J, Kruglanksi, A W, Kurapov, A, Kutlaca, M, Lantos, N A, Jaya Lemsmana, C B, Louis, W R, Lueders, A, Malik, N I, Martinez, A, McCabe, K O, Mehulić, J, Milla, M N, Mohammed, I, Molinario, E, Moyano, M, Silvana Mula, H M, Muluk, H, Myroniuk, S, Najafi, R, Nisa, C F, Nyúl, B, O’Keefe, P A, Olivas Osuna, J J, Osin, E N, Park, J, Pica, G, Pierro, A, Rees, J, Resta, E, Rullo, M, Ryan, M K, Samekin, A, Santtila, P, Sasin, E, Schumpe, B M, Selim, H A, Stanton, M V, Sultana, S, Sutton, R M, Tseliou, E, Utsugi, A, van Breen, J A, van Lissa, C J, van Veen, K, Vázquez, A, Wollast, R, Yeung, V W L, Zand, S, Žeželj, I L, Zheng, B, Zick, A, Zúñiga, C & Pontus Leander, N 2021, 'Politicization of COVID-19 health-protective behaviors in the United States : Longitudinal and cross-national evidence', PLoS One, vol. 16, no. 10 , e0256740, pp. 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256740