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Explaining Americans’ responses to dread epidemics: an illustration with Ebola in late 2014

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  • Branden B. Johnson

Abstract

Despite several surveys of Americans’ responses to Ebola as people were treated or died in the US in the late fall of 2014, little was published on factors that might affect these responses, despite their value for informing future management and communication regarding outbreaks of novel infectious diseases. This explanatory aim was the goal of a national quota online sample of Americans (n = 815) who reported their beliefs and attitudes about Ebola in early December, three weeks after the second US death. Responses were shaped particularly by risk judgments and concern, but also by available Ebola information (from news attention or residence in a state with Ebola experience), political cues (partisanship, ideology), and demographics. Judgments of personal risk and US/global risk were shaped by largely different factors; for example, knowledge of Ebola exposure routes exhibited negative and positive signs, respectively. News attention was associated with both positive (e.g. trust in US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention [CDC]; knowledge) and negative (e.g. US/global risk perception; concern about a US outbreak and family member infection) reactions. Findings suggest challenges for future health communication.

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  • Branden B. Johnson, 2017. "Explaining Americans’ responses to dread epidemics: an illustration with Ebola in late 2014," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(10), pages 1338-1357, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jriskr:v:20:y:2017:i:10:p:1338-1357
    DOI: 10.1080/13669877.2016.1153507
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    Cited by:

    1. Branden B. Johnson, 2018. "Residential Location and Psychological Distance in Americans’ Risk Views and Behavioral Intentions Regarding Zika Virus," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(12), pages 2561-2579, December.
    2. Hang Lu & Jonathon P. Schuldt, 2018. "Communicating Zika Risk: Using Metaphor to Increase Perceived Risk Susceptibility," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(12), pages 2525-2534, December.
    3. Elena Druică & Fabio Musso & Rodica Ianole-Călin, 2020. "Optimism Bias during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Empirical Evidence from Romania and Italy," Games, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-15, September.

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