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THURSDAY, June 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There are sociodemographic gaps in the reported incidence of COVID-19 and knowledge regarding its spread and symptoms, according to a study published online June 18 in JAMA Network Open<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Marcella Alsan, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., from Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and colleagues examined the association between sociodemographic characteristics and reported incidence, knowledge, and behavior regarding COVID-19 in a U.S. national survey study conducted among 5,198 adults.<\/p>\n
The researchers found that the largest differences in COVID-19-related knowledge and behaviors correlated with race\/ethnicity, sex, and age; less knowledge was shown by African-American participants, men, and people younger than 55 years. The likelihood of reporting being infected with COVID-19 was increased by 3.5 percent for African-American respondents versus white respondents and by 3.2 percent for men versus women. Knowing someone who tested positive for COVID-19 was more common among African-Americans, people younger than 30 years, and people with high incomes (7.2, 11.6, and 12.3 percent, respectively). Knowledge of potential fomite spread was lower among African-Americans, Hispanics, and individuals younger than 30 years (\u22129.4, \u22124.8, and \u221210.3 percent, respectively). With respect to knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms and preventive behaviors, similar gaps were observed.<\/p>\n
“These findings confirm anecdotal reports of concerning gaps in reported prevalence and knowledge regarding COVID-19 across different demographic characteristics in the U.S. population,” the authors write.<\/p>\n
Several authors disclosed financial ties to industry.<\/p>\n