ABSTRACT
Testing for COVID-19 is important for identifying, tracing, and treating COVID-19 cases as well as informing policy decisions. Evidence from other disease epidemics suggests that anticipated stigma and stereotypes are barriers to testing for disease. Anticipated stigma may undermine testing due to labeling avoidance (i.e., efforts to avoid receiving the label of a stigmatized status) and stereotypes may undermine testing by reducing perceived vulnerability to disease. Given the importance of scaling up COVID-19 testing, the current study explored the potential roles of anticipated stigma and stereotypes in COVID-19 testing. A cross-sectional, online survey was conducted with 845 United States adults in April 2020. Measures were adapted from previous studies of stigma associated with infectious diseases, and participants were asked about the likelihood that they would seek a COVID-19 test if one were to be ordered by their doctor. Analyses demonstrated that participants who anticipated greater COVID-19 stigma and endorsed COVID-19 stereotypes to a greater degree reported that they would be less likely to seek a COVID-19 test. Notably, endorsement of anticipated stigma and stereotypes was low, and knowledge and fear were stronger predictors of testing than stigma. Nonetheless, results provide preliminary evidence that anticipated stigma and stereotypes may represent barriers to testing in the context of COVID-19, similar to other diseases. As COVID-19 tests become more widely available, efforts may be needed to address COVID-19 stigma alongside other barriers such as access and knowledge to maximize testing efforts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Conspiracy theories have been proliferating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence suggests that belief in conspiracy theories undermines engagement in pro-health behaviors and support for public health policies. Moreover, previous work suggests that inoculating messages from opinion leaders that expose conspiracy theories as false before people are exposed to them can help to prevent belief in new conspiracies. Goals of this study were to: (a) explore associations between COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs with SARS-CoV-2 vaccine intentions, cooperation with public health recommendations, and support for public health policies among U.S. adults and (b) investigate trusted sources of COVID-19 information to inform strategies to address conspiracy beliefs. A cross-sectional, online survey was conducted with 845 U.S. adults in April 2020. Data were analyzed using analyses of variance and multivariable regressions. One-third (33%) of participants believed one or more conspiracies about COVID-19. Participants who believed conspiracies reported that their intentions to vaccinate were 3.9 times lower and indicated less support for COVID-19 public health policies than participants who disbelieved conspiracies. There were no differences in cooperation with public health recommendations by conspiracy belief endorsement in the multivariable regression analysis. Although there were some key differences in trusted sources of COVID-19 information, doctor(s) were the most trusted source of information about COVID-19 overall with 90% of participants trusting doctor(s). Doctor(s) may play a role in addressing COVID-19 conspiracy theories before people are exposed to them to promote COVID-19 prevention efforts.