Perceptions of COVID-19 risk among individuals with preexisting health conditions

Objectives: To examine the association between the presence of preexisting health conditions (PEC) and the perceived risk of catching COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic and assess how risk perceptions changed over time. Methods: We used data collected as part of the “Impact of COVID-19” baseline and follow-up surveys to complete our analyses. Participants were interviewed to collect their perceptions of the risk of catching COVID-19 (baseline and follow-up) and the number and type of PEC. Kruskal-Wallis and chi-square tests were used to assess differences in baseline characteristics, and prevalence ratios were estimated using crude and adjusted modified Poisson generalized linear models. Results: Of the overall study population, 7,069 participants were eligible for the analysis. The majority (83.7%) of the eligible study population had a history of any PEC. Those with a history of any PEC had a median age of 58 (range: 19–97), were primarily female (67.6%), White non-Hispanic (87.8%), had some college (30.3%), were married or living as married (74.4%), lived in an urban region (67.6%), and reported good (35.4%) or very good (33.9%) health. At baseline, study participants with a history of any PEC were more likely to be concerned about catching COVID-19, using a scale of 0–100, compared to those without PECs (Mean[SD] 60.8[29.8] vs. 53.2[29.7]; p