IMPACTS OF COVID-19 MISINFORMATION ON ARIZONA COMMUNITIES

Abstract

The COVID-19 Pandemic has been no stranger to Arizonans, and neither has the misinformation associated with it. Nearly 14 months after the first case of SARS-CoV-2 that was diagnosed in the state, new myths and false claims about the disease are still being generated at an astounding rate. This study surveyed Arizona residents to discover how COVID-19 misinformation impacts their opinions, actions, and understanding about the disease. Participants were recruited via email and social media, and had their responses anonymized. Results, though limited in their applicability to certain demographics across the state, indicate that level of education, annual income, and age weigh heavily on an individual’s COVID-19 knowledge. Vaccine hesitancy is also strongly correlated to level of education, especially in more rural zip codes. Furthermore, the study results suggest that people who use social media at least in part, as a source of COVID- 19 information, could be exposed more readily to falsities than people who use proven sources of public health information like the CDC or NIH. Combating misinformation begins with identifying how it impacts communities. Once a better picture is developed about where it’s most prevalent, this information can be used to help guide public health officials to enact policy that protects science fact, and the wellbeing of people across the state.