Table 4.
Adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) of agreement of COVID-19 beliefs by information source, n=11,242a. Ref: Reference group.
| Sources | I think that the coronavirus was released as an act of bioterrorism. | The coronavirus is more deadly than the seasonal flu. | I think warmer weather will reduce the spread of the coronavirus. | The amount of media attention devoted to the coronavirus has been adequate. | The coronavirus is not as big of a problem as the media suggests. | The coronavirus is a bigger problem than the government suggests. | |
|
|
Number of sources | 1.02 (0.97-1.06) | 1.13 (1.08-1.19)b | 1.02 (0.98-1.06) | 1.13 (1.07-1.19)b | 0.91 (0.86-0.95)b | 1.08 (1.03-1.12)c |
| Source group | |||||||
|
|
Traditional media | 0.51 (0.42-0.64)b | 1.60 (1.29-1.98)b | 0.76 (0.63-0.92)c | 1.54 (1.24-1.19)b | 0.47 (0.37-0.58)b | 1.53 (1.24-1.89)b |
|
|
Government | 0.64 (0.54-0.76)b | 1.48 (1.23-1.77)b | 0.69 (0.58-0.80)b | 1.10 (0.90-1.32) | 0.65 (0.53-0.78)b | 1.25 (1.05-1.48)d |
|
|
Online media | 0.98 (0.81-1.17) | 1.09 (0.90-1.31) | 1.07 (0.92-1.25) | 1.05 (0.87-1.27) | 1.05 (0.87-1.27) | 1.03 (0.87-1.21) |
|
|
Interpersonal sources | 0.89 (0.76-1.04) | 0.96 (0.82-1.13) | 0.97 (0.85-1.11) | 0.81 (0.69-0.96)d | 0.90 (0.77-1.06) | 0.95 (0.82-1.09) |
|
|
Doctor | 0.85 (0.75-0.96)d | 1.02 (0.89-1.17) | 0.84 (0.75-0.93)c | 0.97 (0.85-1.12) | 0.84 (0.73-0.96)c | 1.24 (1.10-1.39)b |
|
|
Religious leader | 1.38 (1.11-1.70)c | 0.78 (0.61-1.00)d | 1.36 (1.12-1.64)c | 0.74 (0.58-0.95)d | 1.58 (1.25-1.99)b | 0.57 (0.47-0.70)b |
| Most trusted sourcee | |||||||
|
|
Government | Ref | Ref | Ref | Ref | Ref | Ref |
|
|
Television | 1.53 (1.19-1.97)c | 0.96 (0.71-1.32) | 0.95 (0.75-1.19) | 1.55 (1.10-2.25)d | 1.00 (0.74-1.43) | 1.34 (1.04-1.74)d |
|
|
Social media | 2.52 (1.58-4.03)b | 0.50 (0.31-0.81)d | 1.99 (1.25-3.26)c | 0.50 (0.32-0.81)c | 2.46 (1.48-4.14)c | 0.83 (0.51-1.35) |
|
|
Newspaper | 0.66 (0.48-0.90)c | 1.07 (0.78-1.48) | 0.89 (0.73-1.09) | 1.67 (1.21-2.36)c | 0.86 (0.63-1.15) | 1.44 (1.13-1.84)c |
|
|
Websites | 2.08 (1.65-2.62)b | 0.43 (0.34-0.55)b | 1.37 (1.10-1.70)c | 0.64 (0.50-0.82)b | 2.27 (1.78-2.89)b | 0.60 (0.48-0.76)b |
|
|
Friends | 3.01 (1.48-6.08)c | 0.65 (0.30-1.49) | 1.43 (0.73-2.86) | 0.42 (0.21-0.88)d | 2.58 (1.18-5.58)d | 0.52 (0.24-1.07) |
|
|
Doctor | 1.45 (1.27-1.64)b | 0.70 (0.61-0.81)b | 1.07 (0.96-1.20) | 0.82 (0.71-0.94)c | 1.37 (1.20-1.57)b | 0.97 (0.86-1.10) |
|
|
Radio | 1.55 (0.95-2.51) | 0.37 (0.23-0.61)b | 2.15 (1.34-3.53)c | 0.72 (0.44-1.24) | 3.16 (1.88-5.38)b | 0.54 (0.32-0.88)d |
|
|
Partner | 2.82 (2.09-3.81)b | 0.48 (0.36-0.66)b | 1.73 (1.30-2.33)b | 0.60 (0.45-0.82)c | 2.07 (1.49-2.89)b | 0.66 (0.48-0.89)c |
|
|
Family | 3.78 (2.36-6.11)b | 0.59 (0.36-1.00)d | 1.31 (0.83-2.07) | 0.62 (0.37-1.05) | 1.56 (0.92-2.59) | 1.00 (0.62-1.63) |
aAdjusted for all other information source variables in the model, as well as time of survey, sex, age, race, region, type of residence, working status, children, education, political affiliation.
bP<.001.
cP<.01.
dP<.05.
eDue to the small sample size of those identifying religious leaders as their most trusted source (n=8), these were removed for analysis.