Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: May 8, 2020
Date Accepted: Jul 1, 2020
Date Submitted to PubMed: Jul 2, 2020
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Similarities and differences in COVID-19 awareness, concern, and symptoms by race and ethnicity in the United States: A cross-sectional survey
ABSTRACT
Background:
Existing health disparities based on race and ethnicity in the United States are contributing to disparities in morbidity and mortality in the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted an online survey of American adults to assess similarities and differences by race and ethnicity groups with respect to COVID-19 symptoms, estimates of the extent of the pandemic, knowledge of control measures, and stigma.
Objective:
Describe similarities and differences in COVID-19 symptoms, knowledge, and beliefs by race and ethnicity among adults in the US.
Methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional online survey from March 27, 2020 through April 1, 2020. Participants were recruited on social media platforms and completed. We used chi square tests to compare characteristics related to COVID-19 by race and ethnicity. Statistical tests were corrected using the Holm Bonferroni correction to account for multiple comparisons.
Results:
Only one symptom (sore throat) was found to be different based on race and ethnicity. Non-Hispanic White and Asian participants were more likely to estimate that the number of current cases was at least 100,000 and to correctly answer all 14 COVID-19 knowledge questions compared to Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black participants. Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black participants were more lik Almost half of participants endorsed at least one stigmatizing COVID-19 statement.
Conclusions:
We observed differences with respect to knowledge of appropriate methods to prevent infection by the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Deficits in knowledge of proper control methods might further exacerbate existing race/ethnicity disparities.
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