Americans' Trust in COVID-19 Information from Governmental Sources in the Trump Era: Individuals' Adoption of Preventive Measures, and Health Implications. Issue 12 (15th October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Hongmei; Chen, Baojiang; Chen, Zhuo; Shi, Lu; Su, Dejun
• Is Part Of: Health communication. Volume 37:Issue 12(2022)
• Page Start: 1552
• Page End: 1561
• Publication Date: 2022-10-15
• Subjects: Communication in medicine -- Periodicals; Health in mass media -- Periodicals; 362.1014
• DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2022.2074776
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1041-0236

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study analyzes differences among Americans in their trust in COVID-19 information from governmental sources and how trust is associated with personal adoption of preventative measures under the Trump administration. Based on our analysis of data from a nationally representative survey conducted in October 2020 (effective sample size after weighting = 2615), we find that Americans in general have more trust in COVID-19 information from state/local governments than from the federal government. Variables such as age, party affiliation, religiosity, and race are significantly associated with Americans' trust or lack of trust in COVID-19 information from governmental sources. During the study period, Republicans had more trust in the federal government as a COVID-19 information source than Democrats did, while Democrats had more trust in state/local governments. African Americans had the least trust in the federal and state/local governments as COVID-19 information sources, while Asian Americans had the most trust in both institutions. Trust in the state/local governments as COVID-19 information sources was positively associated with physical distancing and mask-wearing while trust in the federal government as a COVID-19 information source was negatively associated with physical distancing and mask-wearing, suggesting the distinctive roles that state/local governments and the federal government played in mobilizing Americans to adopt preventive measures.