Survey on public information needs regarding COVID-19

Dear Colleagues

As the world struggles to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, the value of clear information and the dangers of misinformation have become clear. In fact, misinformation has always been one of the greatest challenges of pandemic infection. Only by understanding public misconceptions, planned compliance with prevention practices like social distancing, and preferred information sources can we effectively ensure maximum public participation and minimize infection spread and death.

A research team at Penn State Health, led by Dr. Robert P. Lennon has developed an online questionnaire that measures public understanding of COVID-19. It has successfully been used in Pennsylvania to identify public knowledge and intent to follow recommendations in the largest pandemic information survey to date. The results identified demographic groups with poor knowledge and lower intent to follow recommendations, enabling State government and health care institutions to specifically address the most critical information in the most needful groups.

CHIME has partnered with Penn State Health to bring this powerful tool to a global scale. The questionnaire has been translated in to over 15 languages and will be distributed by Social Media and partner promoters. A robust worldwide response will give us critical information on populations that do not understand how to protect themselves and others and how to get them the information they need to help keep us all safe now. It also allows people from around the world to describe their experiences in their own words, literally creating a historical document of Life in the Time of COVID.

The value of this survey is directly proportional to the number of participants – we need your help not only in distributing the survey link, but in explaining to the people you influence the importance of active participation.

The study team can be reached at myCOVIDsurvey@psu.edu

Please Take this quick survey & encourage others: covidsurvey.psu.edu/c/beatcovid

Send link throughout the world. It has been translated into 15 languages.

Mack

Mack T. Ruffin IV, MD, MPH                                                                                     

Professor and Chair

Department of Family and Community Medicine

Penn State Health, Hershey Medical Center

500 University Drive, Mail Code: H154

Hershey, PA 17033-0850

Cell: 734-476-7806