In this Qualtrics report, MPH students Rebecca Sherrod, Maddie West, and Nancy Daneau presented the data of a cross-sectional, quantitative study on risk perceptions of COVID-19. In this survey, 41 participants were asked to respond to 17 questions through distributed personal links, anonymous links, or email.
Based on the data collected on all 41 participants, a majority of the respondents were women (72%), white (90%), between the ages of 18 and 35 (66%), and college-educated (90%). In terms of compliance with public health measures, 39 of 41 respondents reported compliance including receiving COVID-19 vaccination to stop the spread. A majority (72%) of respondents still remained concerned about getting infected with COVID-19, despite a significant portion of the sample having been previously infected with the virus.
When measuring concern of other public health disasters in comparison to future pandemics, 12 respondents were more concerned with climate change, and 17 were equally concerned about both disasters. The authors discuss the limitations of bias in the survey design and conclude that most participants, although fully vaccinated and highly compliant, view COVID-19 still as a significant risk compared to climate change. Stating that reducing risk perception revolving around COVID-19 will need intervention in the future.
Read their Qualtrics survey analysis here