This report on COVID-19 Attitudes, Practices and Perceptions analyzes a cross-sectional study, where surveyed individuals were asked about their attitudes, public health compliance, and perspectives on COVID-19 and any future pandemics. The subject of this report is especially important because misinformation rampant all throughout the COVID-19 pandemic had great negative impact on pandemic response measures. Information on this topic found through research can help public health officials design action plans for future pandemics to keep the public safe.
Shou, Sevilla, O’Neill, and Brewster noted that many people were personally affected by the pandemic. The majority of survey respondents were vaccinated, complied well with measures such as mask wearing, and knew someone that had been infected with COVID-19. Most respondents said they didn’t trust that the government would be able to handle future pandemics, which suggests a prevalence of public distrust towards the government’s pandemic response. However, the majority of the respondents said that they got public health advice from the CDC and local public health departments. Many respondents also said they trusted the public to respond seriously to another pandemic.
The team concludes that more work will need to be done to promote trust between the public and the government, as public mistrust would make the government less qualified to prepare for another pandemic.