Impaired Perceptions and Conspiracy Beliefs about the Way of Emergence of the COVID-19 Infection

Aysen Kutan Fenercioglu, Gunay Can, Nurver Turfaner Sipahioglu, Osman Demir, Semih Gulluoglu, Iyigun Gedik, Gul Ece Altintas, Asena Cosgun and Zekiye Gurcan
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Aysen Kutan Fenercioglu: Department of Family Medicine, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul 34098, Turkey
Gunay Can: Department of Public Health, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul 34098, Turkey
Nurver Turfaner Sipahioglu: Department of Family Medicine, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul 34098, Turkey
Osman Demir: Family Healthcare Centre, Kagithane No. 10, Istanbul 34400, Turkey
Semih Gulluoglu: Department of Family Medicine, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul 34098, Turkey
Iyigun Gedik: Department of Family Medicine, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul 34098, Turkey
Gul Ece Altintas: Family Healthcare Centre, Fatih No. 7, Istanbul 34104, Turkey
Asena Cosgun: Family Healthcare Centre, Kartal No. 7, Istanbul 34862, Turkey
Zekiye Gurcan: Family Healthcare Centre, Besiktas No. 7, Istanbul 34337, Turkey

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: This study aimed to reveal the perceptions and conspiracy theories surrounding the new coronavirus infection. We aimed to explore associations between COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs with recommended health protective attitudes and sociodemographic features among the Turkish population. A questionnaire consisting of seven items about COVID-19 conspiracy theories and perceptions and ten items about attitudes was given to patients and their relatives in five different centres during the second national lockdown in Istanbul. A chi-square test was used to evaluate the associations of disease perceptions and conspiracy beliefs with sociodemographic features and with health protective attitudes. Logistic regression analysis was performed for significant results. Of 483 participants, 242 (50.1%) were found to have a conspiracy belief. Conspiracy theories were more frequent in the participants who were older than 50 years of age ( p = 0.009) (OR: 1.83) and less frequent in higher education levels ( p = 0.005) (OR: 0.499). In addition, 6.6% of the participants were infected with COVID-19, but having the infection was found to have no effect on disease perceptions or conspiracy beliefs. Wearing a mask in crowds, avoiding shaking hands and kissing, and washing hands were less frequent among conspiracy believers and participants with impaired perceptions. These results indicate that misconceptions and conspiracy beliefs are driving the adoption of disinformation about the prevention of COVID-19 infection.

Keywords: COVID-19; coronavirus; perception; conspiracy beliefs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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