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Conspiracy theories as barriers to controlling the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S.

Social Science & Medicine · 2020 · Vol. 263 · pp. 113356–113356

Daniel Römer✉(University of Pennsylvania)Kathleen Hall Jamieson(University of Pennsylvania)

Abstract

Because belief in COVID-related conspiracy theories predicts resistance to both preventive behaviors and future vaccination for the virus, it will be critical to confront both conspiracy theories and vaccination misinformation to prevent further spread of the virus in the US. Reducing those barriers will require continued messaging by public health authorities on mainstream media and in particular on politically conservative outlets that have supported COVID-related conspiracy theories.

Misinformation and Its Impacts Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy Psychology of Moral and Emotional JudgmentIdeologyVaccinationMainstreamHealth belief modelPandemicPublic healthRisk perceptionSocial psychologyDistancingSocial distance

MeSH terms

COVID-19COVID-19 VaccinesAdolescentAdultCommunicationFemaleHumansHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeMaleMiddle AgedPneumonia, ViralPsychological TheoryPublic HealthSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited States