Findings from a probability-based survey of United States households about prevention measures based on race, ethnicity, and age in response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2

Abstract

We investigated individual behaviors taken by white, African American, and Latino United States (US) households in response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2), and likelihood of using digital tools for symptom surveillance/reporting. We analyzed cross-sectional week 1 data (April 2020) of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Impact Survey in a large, nationally representative sample of US adults. In general, all groups engaged in the same prevention behaviors, but whites reported being more likely to use digital tools to report/act on symptoms and seek testing, compared with African Americans and Latinos. Individual behaviors may not explain COVID-19 case disparities, and digital tools for tracking should focus on uptake among race/ethnic minorities.