Some Americans are more likely to socially distance and wear face masks than others -- here's why
The size of a person’s bank account might predict just how often they’ll be washing their hands, wearing a mask or running out to do errands during the coronavirus pandemic. That’s according to a study released Monday that delves into the demographics of people’s behavior during the coronavirus pandemic.
• A person in the top-earning segment, averaging $233,895, was almost 54% more likely to engage in social distancing and 33% more likely to increasingly wash their hands and wear a mask than someone making an average of $13,775. Social distancing involves steps like staying 6 feet apart from other people in public, avoiding public spaces, running fewer errands outside the house and taking fewer visits with friends and family.
The behavior gaps narrowed as the income gaps narrowed, according to the sample of approximately 1,000 people, split between residents in New York, Florida, Texas and California.
• For example, the same person in the top-earning segment was 12.4% more likely to socially distance themselves than someone making $63,572. At the same time, people in both income bands said they were wearing masks and increasingly washing their hands at the same rate.
“High income is associated with higher levels of self-protective behaviors,” wrote the authors, from Johns Hopkins University, the University of Vermont, the European University Institute, Seoul National University and the University of Exeter Business. (The National Bureau of Economic Research released the study on Monday.)
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/rich-people-are-this-much-more-likely-to-socially-distance-themselves-and-wear-masks-than-low-income-folks-2020-06-15
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