NEW YORK, May 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As evidence emerges showing that infections from the coronavirus are disproportionately high in areas with high minority populations, a new poll from Fordham University shows the emotional toll the virus is taking on black and Latinx Americans. Nearly half of each group of Americans reports being extremely or very worried that they or someone in their family will contract the virus, compared to only 38% of whites. Additionally, black Americans are more likely than either white or Latinx Americans to be on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic with higher proportions still required to show up to a workplace, and higher rates of reported personal infection, and of the death of someone they personally know.

The poll, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, took place from April 16 through 20, 2020, among 1,003 respondents nationwide. It has a margin of sampling error of 4.33 percentage points. The poll is a product of the Fordham Graduate School of Arts and Sciences’ Advanced Certificate in Public Opinion and Survey Research and its M.A. in Elections and Campaign Management.

Personal experience with the virus

Overall, 13% of Americans report having been diagnosed with the coronavirus by a health care provider. But this number differs dramatically by race: 12% of whites and 15% of Latinx Americans report being diagnosed; but a substantially higher 21% of black respondents report having been diagnosed with the virus.

A figure accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/426b5b39-6d5e-48bb-b879-61eb34de21c4

More dramatic still are experiences with mortality from the virus. A full 23% of black Americans report having known someone personally who passed away as a result of the virus, compared to only 13% of Latinx and 6% of white Americans. As Professor Monika McDermott, the poll’s director, explains: “The numbers really paint a picture of two Americas, as is so often the case. African Americans are experiencing the coronavirus pandemic in a far more personal way than are white or Latinx Americans.”

Concerns about the virus

Unsurprisingly, African Americans are also substantially more concerned than whites that they or someone in their family will become infected with the virus.

	How worried that you or someone in your family will be infected?
	Extremely		Very	Somewhat	Not too/Not at all
Black	27	%	22	31	20
Latinx	22	%	26	31	20
White	18	%	20	39	23

Twenty-seven percent of black Americans are extremely worried about themselves or their family, and 22% are very concerned. In contrast, only 18% of white Americans are extremely concerned, and another 20% are very concerned. Latinx Americans are only somewhat less concerned than are black Americans: 22% are extremely worried about the virus infecting themselves or someone in their family and 26% are very concerned.

Personal exposure and race

African Americans seem to be at higher risk for the virus at least partially due to higher reported exposure to the outside world – 32% of black Americans report in the survey that they are still going in to a workplace, as compared to 22% of whites and only 20% of Latinx Americans. This also means that black Americans are out more frequently in places where they are at risk of coming into contact with others.

	How often are you somewhere where you could be within 6’ of others? (among those under stay-at-home orders)
	Every day		Few days a week	Once a week	Less
Black	16	%	26	36	23
Latinx	11	%	15	34	38
White	9	%	19	36	36

Sixteen percent of African Americans who are in areas with stay-at-home orders report that they go out daily to a place where they may be within six feet of someone, and another quarter do so a few days a week – for a total of 42%. In stark contrast, only 26% of Latinx Americans and 28% of white Americans are out in potentially crowded places that frequently.

Among all Americans still reporting to a workplace, 72% say their employer is providing them with what they consider to be adequate personal protective equipment, but over a quarter – 28% – say they are not.

Although they are going into work at higher rates, African Americans are engaging in other, optional activities outside the home at lower rates than other Americans. Fewer black Americans have gone out to visit friends and family, and to pick up take-out orders from restaurants than white and Latinx Americans have. And both black and Latinx Americans are less likely than whites to have gone outside to exercise.

Guidance during the virus

When it comes to seeking guidance during the pandemic, African Americans are much more likely than white and Latinx Americans to turn to their friends and family and religious leaders, as well as their state governors and public health officials. By far the biggest differences are on religious leadership. The only source to whom African Americans are less likely to turn to is President Donald Trump.

A figure accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ea0e4a8d-918c-4b77-9128-a414ad95d533

{Questions 1 and 2 in separate release]

3. Have you or has a close friend or relative been diagnosed with the coronavirus by a health care provider, or not?

			Race
	Total		White		Black		Latinx
Yes	13	%	12	%	21	%	15	%
No	87	%	88	%	79	%	83	%
Don’t know/No answer	0	%	0	%	0	%	2	%

4. How worried are you about you or someone in your family being infected with… 

a. Coronavirus?

			Race
	Total		White		Black		Latinx
Extremely worried	21	%	18	%	27	%	22	%
Very worried	21	%	20	%	22	%	26	%
Somewhat worried	36	%	39	%	31	%	31	%
Not too worried	17	%	17	%	13	%	19	%
Not at all worried	5	%	6	%	7	%	1	%
Don’t know/No answer	0	%	0	%	0	%	0	%

b. The flu

			Race
	Total		White		Black		Latinx
Extremely worried	9	%	5	%	16	%	13	%
Very worried	13	%	10	%	19	%	17	%
Somewhat worried	31	%	33	%	27	%	33	%
Not too worried	35	%	39	%	23	%	28	%
Not at all worried	12	%	13	%	15	%	8	%
Don’t know/No answer	0	%	0	%	0	%	1	%

6. Has anyone you know personally passed away due to the coronavirus?

			Race
	Total		White		Black		Latinx
Yes	9	%	6	%	23	%	13	%
No	90	%	94	%	77	%	81	%
Don’t know/No answer	2	%	1	%	0	%	7	%

[Questions 7 through 11 held for future release]

12. As far as you know, has the Governor of your state imposed a stay at home, or shelter in place order asking people not to go out except in case of necessity?

			Race
	Total		White		Black		Latinx
Yes	89	%	90	%	92	%	87	%
No	9	%	10	%	8	%	8	%
Don’t know/No answer	1	%	0	%	0	%	5	%

[Asked of those aware of state orders]
13. Since that order was issued, have you done any of the following?
[Order of items randomized]
     a.   Gone to the store for groceries or other necessary supplies

			Race
	Total		White		Black		Latinx
Yes	91	%	89	%	97	%	90	%
No	9	%	11	%	3	%	8	%
Don’t know/No answer	0	%	0	%	0	%	2	%

2. Gone outside to exercise

			Race
	Total		White		Black		Latinx
Yes	66	%	72	%	51	%	53	%
No	34	%	28	%	49	%	45	%
Don’t know/No answer	0	%	0	%	0	%	2	%

3. Gone out to visit friends or family

			Race
	Total		White		Black		Latinx
Yes	26	%	27	%	19	%	26	%
No	74	%	72	%	81	%	72	%
Don’t know/No answer	1	%	1	%	0	%	2	%

4. Gone to work

			Race
	Total		White		Black		Latinx
Yes	31	%	32	%	42	%	26	%
No	68	%	68	%	58	%	72	%
Don’t know/No answer	1	%	0	%	0	%	2	%

5. Gone to a restaurant to pick up take-out

			Race
	Total		White		Black		Latinx
Yes	55	%	57	%	48	%	52	%
No	44	%	43	%	52	%	46	%
Don’t know/No answer	1	%	0	%	0	%	2	%

14. On average, how often would you say you have been going out to a place in which you may be within six feet of other people since the stay at home order was issued? Every day, a few days a week, once a week, twice a month, less than twice a month, or have you never put yourself in such a situation?

			Race
	Total		White		Black		Latinx
Every day	11	%	9	%	16	%	11	%
A few days a week	20	%	19	%	26	%	15	%
Once a week	35	%	36	%	36	%	34	%
Twice a month	13	%	14	%	5	%	17	%
Less than twice a month	11	%	10	%	9	%	16	%
Never	10	%	12	%	9	%	5	%
Don’t know/No answer	1	%	0	%	1	%	2	%

[Questions 15 through 18 in separate release]

[Asked of all]
19. How important have each of the following been to you personally in providing guidance during the coronavirus crisis?
[Order of items randomized]

1. Your state governor 

		Race
	Total	White	Black	Latinx
Very important	34%	33%	49%	24%
Somewhat important	40%	40%	35%	47%
Not very important	16%	16%	9%	17%
Not at all important	8%	10%	7%	5%
Don’t know/No answer	2%	1%	1%	1%

2. President Trump

		Race
	Total	White	Black	Latinx
Very important	19%	23%	8%	13%
Somewhat important	25%	25%	18%	28%
Not very important	19%	18%	25%	20%
Not at all important	36%	34%	47%	32%
Don’t know/No answer	2%	1%	3%	7%

3. Friends and family

		Race
	Total	White	Black	Latinx
Very important	31%	29%	41%	31%
Somewhat important	39%	39%	45%	37%
Not very important	22%	25%	10%	18%
Not at all important	6%	6%	3%	7%
Don’t know/No answer	2%	1%	1%	7%

4. Religious leaders

		Race
	Total	White	Black	Latinx
Very important	16%	13%	37%	15%
Somewhat important	24%	22%	33%	28%
Not very important	24%	26%	10%	22%
Not at all important	34%	39%	18%	28%
Don’t know/No answer	2%	1%	2%	7%

5. Public health officials

		Race
	Total	White	Black	Latinx
Very important	45%	44%	59%	38%
Somewhat important	41%	41%	34%	44%
Not very important	8%	10%	2%	8%
Not at all important	4%	4%	5%	3%
Don’t know/No answer	2%	1%	1%	7%

22. As a result of the coronavirus, are you working from home now, not working, or do you still need to go into a workplace?

		Race
	Total	White	Black	Latinx
Working from home	19%	19%	18%	16%
Not working	50%	51%	43%	54%
Still going into the workplace	23%	22%	32%	20%
Was already working from home before coronavirus	6%	7%	6%	5%
Don’t know/No answer	2%	1%	2%	5%

[Asked of those not working]
23. Which of the following most accurately describes your current employment status?

	Total
Laid off due to coronavirus outbreak	17	%
Suspended WITH pay due to the coronavirus outbreak	3	%
Suspended WITHOUT pay due to the coronavirus outbreak	9	%
Voluntarily left job due to coronavirus outbreak	3	%
Not in workforce for reasons other than the coronavirus	67	%
Don’t know/No answer	1	%

[Asked of those still going to the workplace]
24. Does your workplace provide you with personal protective equipment that you consider adequate?

	Total
Yes	72	%
No	28	%
Don’t know/No answer	0	%

Contact:
Professor Monika McDermott
(917)747-1987 (cell)
mmcdermott@fordham.edu