Abstract
In this perspectives brief, authors Lawrence Hamilton and Thomas Safford discuss the importance of government and public respect for scientific advice in mitigating the impacts of COVID-19. Striking political divisions in attitudes toward science have recently been evident in U.S. government statements and actions regarding the pandemic, and in opinions or behavior reported by general-public surveys. Although the COVID-19 crisis is breaking news, these political divisions in respect for science during a pandemic have deeper roots. A nationwide survey conducted by Carsey School researchers in 2016, immediately after the elections, found 25-point gaps between Trump and Clinton voters, or between conservatives and liberals, regarding whether they trusted science agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for information about the Zika virus pandemic. Since 2016 the government took concrete steps such as eliminating a National Security Council team responsible for pandemic preparedness, and cutting budgets for disease-security programs, that are having profound impacts on the United States’ ability to deal with COVID-19 today.
Department
Carsey School of Public Policy
Publication Date
Winter 3-18-2020
Series
Perspectives Brief
Publisher
Durham, N.H. : Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Hamilton, Lawrence C. and Safford, Thomas G., "Ideology Affects Trust in Science Agencies During a Pandemic" (2020). The Carsey School of Public Policy at the Scholars' Repository. 391.
https://scholars.unh.edu/carsey/391
Rights
Copyright 2020. Carsey School of Public Policy. These materials may be used for the purposes of research, teaching, and private study. For all other uses, contact the copyright holder.