The COVID-19 study has shed light on health disparities in the US. Compared to other people of colour, the illness burden is significantly greater among Black and Indigenous people. Income differences are particularly significant since lower-paid workers were less able to adopt mitigation practises than their higher-paid peers. In 2020, these inequalities entered the public health conversation, with pundits constantly pointing out the link between race, social status, and COVID-19. In contrast to inequalities related to age and chronic disease, what percentage of the general public and important subgroups acknowledged these social group disparities, and did public recognition evolve throughout the first year of the pandemic? We examined data from three cross-sectional public opinion polls that were conducted using the NORC AmeriSpeak panel in order to answer these issues. The main findings included the degree to which respondents agreed with claims regarding differences in COVID-19 mortality by age, chronic disease, income, and race. From 2020 to 2021, we discovered minimal variation in Americans' perceptions of inequities.
KeywordsCOVID-19; Health disparities; Media; Public opinion; United States
Published Date: 2022-12-30; Received Date: 2022-12-01
