Conservatism and infrequent mask usage: A study of US counties during the novel coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic
Affiliation
School of Sociology, The University of ArizonaIssue Date
2021-08-27
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John Wiley and Sons IncCitation
Gonzalez, K. E., James, R., Bjorklund, E. T., & Hill, T. D. (2021). Conservatism and infrequent mask usage: A study of US counties during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Social Science Quarterly.Journal
Social Science QuarterlyRights
© 2021 by the Southwestern Social Science Association.Collection Information
This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at repository@u.library.arizona.edu.Abstract
Objective: Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eventually recommended wearing masks in public to slow the spread of the Coronavirus, the practice has been unevenly distributed in the United States. Methods: In this article, we model county‐level infrequent mask usage as a function of three pillars of conservatism: (1) Republican political leadership (percentage of votes for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election), (2) conservative Protestantism (percentage evangelical Christian), and (3) right‐wing media consumption (Google searches for Fox News). Results: Our analyses indicate that mask usage tends to be lower in counties with greater support for President Trump (in majority Trump counties), counties with more evangelical Christians, and areas with greater interest in Fox News. Conclusion: Given the effectiveness of masks in limiting the transmission of respiratory droplets, conservative ideological resistance to public health and recommended pandemic lifestyles may indirectly support the spread of the coronavirus.Note
12 month embargo; first published: 27 August 2021ISSN
0038-4941EISSN
1540-6237Version
Final accepted manuscriptae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1111/ssqu.13025