American Women’s Perceptions of Pandemic Policies and Regulations

Abstract

Objectives: We surveyed 287 American women from April 2020 until the November 2020 presidential election to evaluate their primary news source, beliefs on the constitutionality of mask-wearing and stay-at-home orders, government’s ability to implement public health orders, and political affiliation. Methods: Qualtrics surveys were distributed on social media. Using a chi-square test of independence, we evaluated differences by age groups, ethnicity, and education. Results: Age, ethnicity, and education were all statistically related to beliefs about public health initiatives. Conclusions: These results can help tailor public health interventions, policies, and laws focused on compliance with public health initiatives aimed at reducing the spread of the virus.