Politicization of COVID-19 health-protective behaviors in the United States: Longitudinal and cross-national evidence

Wolfgang Stroebe; Michelle R. vanDellen; Georgios Abakoumkin; Edward P. Lemay; William M. Schiavone; Maximilian Agostini; Jocelyn J. Bélanger; Ben Gützkow; Jannis Kreienkamp; Anne Margit Reitsema; Jamilah Hanum Abdul Khaiyom; Vjolica Ahmedi; Handan Akkas; Carlos A. Almenara; Mohsin Atta; Sabahat Cigdem Bagci; Sima Basel; Edona Berisha Kida; Allan B.I. Bernardo; Nicholas R. Buttrick; Phatthanakit Chobthamkit; Hoon Seok Choi; Mioara Cristea; Sára Csaba; Kaja Damnjanović; Ivan Danyliuk; Arobindu Dash; Daniela Di Santo; Karen M. Douglas; Violeta Enea; Daiane Gracieli Faller; Gavan Fitzsimons; Alexandra Gheorghiu; Ángel Gómez; Ali Hamaidia; Qing Han; Mai Helmy; Joevarian Hudiyana; Bertus F. Jeronimus; Ding Yu Jiang; Veljko Jovanović; Željka Kamenov; Anna Kende; Shian Ling Keng; Tra Thi Thanh Kieu; Yasin Koc; Kamila Kovyazina; Inna Kozytska; Joshua Krause; Arie W. Kruglanksi; Anton Kurapov; Maja Kutlaca; Nóra Anna Lantos; Cokorda Bagus Jaya Lemsmana; Winnifred R. Louis; Adrian Lueders; Najma Iqbal Malik; Anton Martinez; Kira O. McCabe; Jasmina Mehulić; Mirra Noor Milla; Idris Mohammed; Erica Molinario; Manuel Moyano; Hayat Muhammad Silvana Mula; Hamdi Muluk; Solomiia Myroniuk; Reza Najafi; Claudia F. Nisa; Boglárka Nyúl; Paul A. O’Keefe; Jose Javier Olivas Osuna; Evgeny N. Osin; Joonha Park; Gennaro Pica; Antonio Pierro; Jonas Rees; Elena Resta; Marika Rullo; Michelle K. Ryan; Adil Samekin; Pekka Santtila; Edyta Sasin; Birga M. Schumpe; Heyla A. Selim; Michael Vicente Stanton; Samiah Sultana; Robbie M. Sutton; Eleftheria Tseliou; Akira Utsugi; Jolien Anne van Breen; Caspar J. van Lissa; Kees van Veen; Alexandra Vázquez; Robin Wollast; Victoria Wai Lan Yeung; Somayeh Zand; Iris Lav Žeželj; Bang Zheng; Andreas Zick; Claudia Zúñiga; N. Pontus Leander

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0256740

Politicization of COVID-19 health-protective behaviors in the United States: Longitudinal and cross-national evidence

Wolfgang Stroebe, Michelle R. vanDellen^*, Georgios Abakoumkin, Edward P. Lemay, William M. Schiavone, Maximilian Agostini, Jocelyn J. Bélanger, Ben Gützkow, Jannis Kreienkamp, Anne Margit Reitsema, Jamilah Hanum Abdul Khaiyom, Vjolica Ahmedi, Handan Akkas, Carlos A. Almenara, Mohsin Atta, Sabahat Cigdem Bagci, Sima Basel, Edona Berisha Kida, Allan B.I. Bernardo, Nicholas R. ButtrickPhatthanakit Chobthamkit, Hoon Seok Choi, Mioara Cristea, Sára Csaba, Kaja Damnjanović, Ivan Danyliuk, Arobindu Dash, Daniela Di Santo, Karen M. Douglas, Violeta Enea, Daiane Gracieli Faller, Gavan Fitzsimons, Alexandra Gheorghiu, Ángel Gómez, Ali Hamaidia, Qing Han, Mai Helmy, Joevarian Hudiyana, Bertus F. Jeronimus, Ding Yu Jiang, Veljko Jovanović, Željka Kamenov, Anna Kende, Shian Ling Keng, Tra Thi Thanh Kieu, Yasin Koc, Kamila Kovyazina, Inna Kozytska, Joshua Krause, Arie W. Kruglanksi, Anton Kurapov, Maja Kutlaca, Nóra Anna Lantos, Cokorda Bagus Jaya Lemsmana, Winnifred R. Louis, Adrian Lueders, Najma Iqbal Malik, Anton Martinez, Kira O. McCabe, Jasmina Mehulić, Mirra Noor Milla, Idris Mohammed, Erica Molinario, Manuel Moyano, Hayat Muhammad Silvana Mula, Hamdi Muluk, Solomiia Myroniuk, Reza Najafi, Claudia F. Nisa, Boglárka Nyúl, Paul A. O’Keefe, Jose Javier Olivas Osuna, Evgeny N. Osin, Joonha Park, Gennaro Pica, Antonio Pierro, Jonas Rees, Elena Resta, Marika Rullo, Michelle K. Ryan, Adil Samekin, Pekka Santtila, Edyta Sasin, Birga M. Schumpe, Heyla A. Selim, Michael Vicente Stanton, Samiah Sultana, Robbie M. Sutton, Eleftheria Tseliou, Akira Utsugi, Jolien Anne van Breen, Caspar J. van Lissa, Kees van Veen, Alexandra Vázquez, Robin Wollast, Victoria Wai Lan Yeung, Somayeh Zand, Iris Lav Žeželj, Bang Zheng, Andreas Zick, Claudia Zúñiga, N. Pontus Leander

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. conservative politicians and the media downplayed the risk of both contracting COVID-19 and the effectiveness of recommended health behaviors. Health behavior theories suggest perceived vulnerability to a health threat and perceived effectiveness of recommended health-protective behaviors determine motivation to follow recommendations. Accordingly, we predicted that—as a result of politicization of the pandemic—politically conservative Americans would be less likely to enact recommended health-protective behaviors. In two longitudinal studies of U.S. residents, political conservatism was inversely associated with perceived health risk and adoption of health-protective behaviors over time. The effects of political orientation on health-protective behaviors were mediated by perceived risk of infection, perceived severity of infection, and perceived effectiveness of the health-protective behaviors. In a global cross-national analysis, effects were stronger in the U.S. (N = 10,923) than in an international sample (total N = 51,986), highlighting the increased and overt politicization of health behaviors in the U.S.

Original language	English
Article number	e0256740
Pages (from-to)	1-22
Journal	PLoS One
Volume	16
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256740
Publication status	Published - 20 Oct 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research received support from the New York University Abu Dhabi (VCDSF/75-71015) to J.N., the University of Groningen (Sustainable Society & Ubbo Emmius Fund) to N.P.L., and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (COV20/00086) co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF ?A way to make Europe? to M.M. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Public Library of Science. All rights reserved.

Funding

This research received support from the New York University Abu Dhabi (VCDSF/75-71015) to J.N., the University of Groningen (Sustainable Society & Ubbo Emmius Fund) to N.P.L., and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (COV20/00086) co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF ?A way to make Europe? to M.M. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Keywords

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
COVID-19/epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Health Behavior
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Middle Aged
Motivation
Pandemics/prevention & control
Politics
SARS-CoV-2

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Stroebe, W., vanDellen, M. R., Abakoumkin, G., Lemay, E. P., Schiavone, W. M., Agostini, M., Bélanger, J. J., Gützkow, B., Kreienkamp, J., Reitsema, A. M., Abdul Khaiyom, J. H., Ahmedi, V., Akkas, H., Almenara, C. A., Atta, M., Bagci, S. C., Basel, S., Kida, E. B., Bernardo, A. B. I., ... Pontus Leander, N. (2021). Politicization of COVID-19 health-protective behaviors in the United States: Longitudinal and cross-national evidence. PLoS One, 16(10 ), 1-22. Article e0256740. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256740

@article{74b5f22b293b4c998eda6b3cab37e9ba,

title = "Politicization of COVID-19 health-protective behaviors in the United States: Longitudinal and cross-national evidence",

abstract = "During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. conservative politicians and the media downplayed the risk of both contracting COVID-19 and the effectiveness of recommended health behaviors. Health behavior theories suggest perceived vulnerability to a health threat and perceived effectiveness of recommended health-protective behaviors determine motivation to follow recommendations. Accordingly, we predicted that—as a result of politicization of the pandemic—politically conservative Americans would be less likely to enact recommended health-protective behaviors. In two longitudinal studies of U.S. residents, political conservatism was inversely associated with perceived health risk and adoption of health-protective behaviors over time. The effects of political orientation on health-protective behaviors were mediated by perceived risk of infection, perceived severity of infection, and perceived effectiveness of the health-protective behaviors. In a global cross-national analysis, effects were stronger in the U.S. (N = 10,923) than in an international sample (total N = 51,986), highlighting the increased and overt politicization of health behaviors in the U.S.",

keywords = "Adolescent, Adult, Aged, COVID-19/epidemiology, Cross-Sectional Studies, Health Behavior, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Motivation, Pandemics/prevention & control, Politics, SARS-CoV-2",

author = "Wolfgang Stroebe and vanDellen, {Michelle R.} and Georgios Abakoumkin and Lemay, {Edward P.} and Schiavone, {William M.} and Maximilian Agostini and B{\'e}langer, {Jocelyn J.} and Ben G{\"u}tzkow and Jannis Kreienkamp and Reitsema, {Anne Margit} and {Abdul Khaiyom}, {Jamilah Hanum} and Vjolica Ahmedi and Handan Akkas and Almenara, {Carlos A.} and Mohsin Atta and Bagci, {Sabahat Cigdem} and Sima Basel and Kida, {Edona Berisha} and Bernardo, {Allan B.I.} and Buttrick, {Nicholas R.} and Phatthanakit Chobthamkit and Choi, {Hoon Seok} and Mioara Cristea and S{\'a}ra Csaba and Kaja Damnjanovi{\'c} and Ivan Danyliuk and Arobindu Dash and {Di Santo}, Daniela and Douglas, {Karen M.} and Violeta Enea and Faller, {Daiane Gracieli} and Gavan Fitzsimons and Alexandra Gheorghiu and {\'A}ngel G{\'o}mez and Ali Hamaidia and Qing Han and Mai Helmy and Joevarian Hudiyana and Jeronimus, {Bertus F.} and Jiang, {Ding Yu} and Veljko Jovanovi{\'c} and {\v Z}eljka Kamenov and Anna Kende and Keng, {Shian Ling} and Kieu, {Tra Thi Thanh} and Yasin Koc and Kamila Kovyazina and Inna Kozytska and Joshua Krause and Kruglanksi, {Arie W.} and Anton Kurapov and Maja Kutlaca and Lantos, {N{\'o}ra Anna} and {Jaya Lemsmana}, {Cokorda Bagus} and Louis, {Winnifred R.} and Adrian Lueders and Malik, {Najma Iqbal} and Anton Martinez and McCabe, {Kira O.} and Jasmina Mehuli{\'c} and Milla, {Mirra Noor} and Idris Mohammed and Erica Molinario and Manuel Moyano and {Silvana Mula}, {Hayat Muhammad} and Hamdi Muluk and Solomiia Myroniuk and Reza Najafi and Nisa, {Claudia F.} and Bogl{\'a}rka Ny{\'u}l and O{\textquoteright}Keefe, {Paul A.} and {Olivas Osuna}, {Jose Javier} and Osin, {Evgeny N.} and Joonha Park and Gennaro Pica and Antonio Pierro and Jonas Rees and Elena Resta and Marika Rullo and Ryan, {Michelle K.} and Adil Samekin and Pekka Santtila and Edyta Sasin and Schumpe, {Birga M.} and Selim, {Heyla A.} and Stanton, {Michael Vicente} and Samiah Sultana and Sutton, {Robbie M.} and Eleftheria Tseliou and Akira Utsugi and {van Breen}, {Jolien Anne} and {van Lissa}, {Caspar J.} and {van Veen}, Kees and Alexandra V{\'a}zquez and Robin Wollast and Yeung, {Victoria Wai Lan} and Somayeh Zand and {\v Z}e{\v z}elj, {Iris Lav} and Bang Zheng and Andreas Zick and Claudia Z{\'u}{\~n}iga and {Pontus Leander}, N.",

note = "Funding Information: This research received support from the New York University Abu Dhabi (VCDSF/75-71015) to J.N., the University of Groningen (Sustainable Society & Ubbo Emmius Fund) to N.P.L., and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (COV20/00086) co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF ?A way to make Europe? to M.M. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Public Library of Science. All rights reserved.",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1371/journal.pone.0256740",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

pages = "1--22",

journal = "PLoS One",

issn = "1932-6203",

publisher = "Public Library of Science",

number = "10 ",

}

Stroebe, W, vanDellen, MR, Abakoumkin, G, Lemay, EP, Schiavone, WM, Agostini, M, Bélanger, JJ, Gützkow, B, Kreienkamp, J, Reitsema, AM, Abdul Khaiyom, JH, Ahmedi, V, Akkas, H, Almenara, CA, Atta, M, Bagci, SC, Basel, S, Kida, EB, Bernardo, ABI, Buttrick, NR, Chobthamkit, P, Choi, HS, Cristea, M, Csaba, S, Damnjanović, K, Danyliuk, I, Dash, A, Di Santo, D, Douglas, KM, Enea, V, Faller, DG, Fitzsimons, G, Gheorghiu, A, Gómez, Á, Hamaidia, A, Han, Q, Helmy, M, Hudiyana, J, Jeronimus, BF, Jiang, DY, Jovanović, V, Kamenov, Ž, Kende, A, Keng, SL, Kieu, TTT, Koc, Y, Kovyazina, K, Kozytska, I, Krause, J, Kruglanksi, AW, Kurapov, A, Kutlaca, M, Lantos, NA, Jaya Lemsmana, CB, Louis, WR, Lueders, A, Malik, NI, Martinez, A, McCabe, KO, Mehulić, J, Milla, MN, Mohammed, I, Molinario, E, Moyano, M, Silvana Mula, HM, Muluk, H, Myroniuk, S, Najafi, R, Nisa, CF, Nyúl, B, O’Keefe, PA, Olivas Osuna, JJ, Osin, EN, Park, J, Pica, G, Pierro, A, Rees, J, Resta, E, Rullo, M, Ryan, MK, Samekin, A, Santtila, P, Sasin, E, Schumpe, BM, Selim, HA, Stanton, MV, Sultana, S, Sutton, RM, Tseliou, E, Utsugi, A, van Breen, JA, van Lissa, CJ, van Veen, K, Vázquez, A, Wollast, R, Yeung, VWL, Zand, S, Žeželj, IL, Zheng, B, Zick, A, Zúñiga, C & Pontus Leander, N 2021, 'Politicization of COVID-19 health-protective behaviors in the United States: Longitudinal and cross-national evidence', PLoS One, vol. 16, no. 10 , e0256740, pp. 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256740

TY - JOUR

T1 - Politicization of COVID-19 health-protective behaviors in the United States

T2 - Longitudinal and cross-national evidence

AU - Stroebe, Wolfgang

AU - vanDellen, Michelle R.

AU - Abakoumkin, Georgios

AU - Lemay, Edward P.

AU - Schiavone, William M.

AU - Agostini, Maximilian

AU - Bélanger, Jocelyn J.

AU - Gützkow, Ben

AU - Kreienkamp, Jannis

AU - Reitsema, Anne Margit

AU - Abdul Khaiyom, Jamilah Hanum

AU - Ahmedi, Vjolica

AU - Akkas, Handan

AU - Almenara, Carlos A.

AU - Atta, Mohsin

AU - Bagci, Sabahat Cigdem

AU - Basel, Sima

AU - Kida, Edona Berisha

AU - Bernardo, Allan B.I.

AU - Buttrick, Nicholas R.

AU - Chobthamkit, Phatthanakit

AU - Choi, Hoon Seok

AU - Cristea, Mioara

AU - Csaba, Sára

AU - Damnjanović, Kaja

AU - Danyliuk, Ivan

AU - Dash, Arobindu

AU - Di Santo, Daniela

AU - Douglas, Karen M.

AU - Enea, Violeta

AU - Faller, Daiane Gracieli

AU - Fitzsimons, Gavan

AU - Gheorghiu, Alexandra

AU - Gómez, Ángel

AU - Hamaidia, Ali

AU - Han, Qing

AU - Helmy, Mai

AU - Hudiyana, Joevarian

AU - Jeronimus, Bertus F.

AU - Jiang, Ding Yu

AU - Jovanović, Veljko

AU - Kamenov, Željka

AU - Kende, Anna

AU - Keng, Shian Ling

AU - Kieu, Tra Thi Thanh

AU - Koc, Yasin

AU - Kovyazina, Kamila

AU - Kozytska, Inna

AU - Krause, Joshua

AU - Kruglanksi, Arie W.

AU - Kurapov, Anton

AU - Kutlaca, Maja

AU - Lantos, Nóra Anna

AU - Jaya Lemsmana, Cokorda Bagus

AU - Louis, Winnifred R.

AU - Lueders, Adrian

AU - Malik, Najma Iqbal

AU - Martinez, Anton

AU - McCabe, Kira O.

AU - Mehulić, Jasmina

AU - Milla, Mirra Noor

AU - Mohammed, Idris

AU - Molinario, Erica

AU - Moyano, Manuel

AU - Silvana Mula, Hayat Muhammad

AU - Muluk, Hamdi

AU - Myroniuk, Solomiia

AU - Najafi, Reza

AU - Nisa, Claudia F.

AU - Nyúl, Boglárka

AU - O’Keefe, Paul A.

AU - Olivas Osuna, Jose Javier

AU - Osin, Evgeny N.

AU - Park, Joonha

AU - Pica, Gennaro

AU - Pierro, Antonio

AU - Rees, Jonas

AU - Resta, Elena

AU - Rullo, Marika

AU - Ryan, Michelle K.

AU - Samekin, Adil

AU - Santtila, Pekka

AU - Sasin, Edyta

AU - Schumpe, Birga M.

AU - Selim, Heyla A.

AU - Stanton, Michael Vicente

AU - Sultana, Samiah

AU - Sutton, Robbie M.

AU - Tseliou, Eleftheria

AU - Utsugi, Akira

AU - van Breen, Jolien Anne

AU - van Lissa, Caspar J.

AU - van Veen, Kees

AU - Vázquez, Alexandra

AU - Wollast, Robin

AU - Yeung, Victoria Wai Lan

AU - Zand, Somayeh

AU - Žeželj, Iris Lav

AU - Zheng, Bang

AU - Zick, Andreas

AU - Zúñiga, Claudia

AU - Pontus Leander, N.

N1 - Funding Information: This research received support from the New York University Abu Dhabi (VCDSF/75-71015) to J.N., the University of Groningen (Sustainable Society & Ubbo Emmius Fund) to N.P.L., and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (COV20/00086) co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF ?A way to make Europe? to M.M. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Public Library of Science. All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/10/20

Y1 - 2021/10/20

N2 - During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. conservative politicians and the media downplayed the risk of both contracting COVID-19 and the effectiveness of recommended health behaviors. Health behavior theories suggest perceived vulnerability to a health threat and perceived effectiveness of recommended health-protective behaviors determine motivation to follow recommendations. Accordingly, we predicted that—as a result of politicization of the pandemic—politically conservative Americans would be less likely to enact recommended health-protective behaviors. In two longitudinal studies of U.S. residents, political conservatism was inversely associated with perceived health risk and adoption of health-protective behaviors over time. The effects of political orientation on health-protective behaviors were mediated by perceived risk of infection, perceived severity of infection, and perceived effectiveness of the health-protective behaviors. In a global cross-national analysis, effects were stronger in the U.S. (N = 10,923) than in an international sample (total N = 51,986), highlighting the increased and overt politicization of health behaviors in the U.S.

AB - During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. conservative politicians and the media downplayed the risk of both contracting COVID-19 and the effectiveness of recommended health behaviors. Health behavior theories suggest perceived vulnerability to a health threat and perceived effectiveness of recommended health-protective behaviors determine motivation to follow recommendations. Accordingly, we predicted that—as a result of politicization of the pandemic—politically conservative Americans would be less likely to enact recommended health-protective behaviors. In two longitudinal studies of U.S. residents, political conservatism was inversely associated with perceived health risk and adoption of health-protective behaviors over time. The effects of political orientation on health-protective behaviors were mediated by perceived risk of infection, perceived severity of infection, and perceived effectiveness of the health-protective behaviors. In a global cross-national analysis, effects were stronger in the U.S. (N = 10,923) than in an international sample (total N = 51,986), highlighting the increased and overt politicization of health behaviors in the U.S.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - COVID-19/epidemiology

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - Health Behavior

KW - Humans

KW - Longitudinal Studies

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Motivation

KW - Pandemics/prevention & control

KW - Politics

KW - SARS-CoV-2

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0256740

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0256740

M3 - Article

C2 - 34669724

AN - SCOPUS:85117694703

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 16

SP - 1

EP - 22

JO - PLoS One

JF - PLoS One

IS - 10

M1 - e0256740

ER -

Politicization of COVID-19 health-protective behaviors in the United States: Longitudinal and cross-national evidence

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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