State health department releases attitudes survey about COVID-19

COLORADO - The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) released results from a survey asking Coloradans about their perceptions and attitudes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 45,000 Coloradans completed the survey between March 22 and March 24, 2020.
Highlights of the survey include:
72% of respondents are “very concerned” about COVID-19 in Colorado.
Among 18-29-year-old respondents, 59% are “very concerned” about COVID-19 in Colorado.
Nearly 90% of respondents think it’s somewhat or very likely that they would get sick from the novel coronavirus.
Half (50%) of the respondents have a combination of symptoms indicative of generalized anxiety over the last two weeks.
A large majority of the respondents are taking extra precautions around COVID-19 to keep the community healthy:
97% are washing their hands with soap and water more frequently.
96% are avoiding large gatherings.
70% are working from home.
35% are stockpiling food and other household items.
Three in four respondents would try to get tested if they were exposed or had symptoms. The most common reason respondents selected would be to help the public health system build a better picture of how the virus is spreading.
Of those who would not get tested:
Three in four respondents said they would isolate themselves from others regardless.
More than 50% of respondents would not get tested because they are not sure if they meet the criteria for testing.
3% think the virus isn’t that serious.
40% of part-time, full-time or self-employed respondents do not have access to paid leave if they were not able to work because of illness.
43% of respondents are now working from home in response to the COVID-19. (Note: This survey was conducted before the statewide stay-at-home order.)
11% of respondents have had their hours reduced, 9% have temporarily lost their jobs and 1% have permanently lost their jobs due to COVID-19.
“This survey shows what we already knew that Coloradans are strong, and we are all in this together,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “We’re relieved to see that so many people are doing their part to slow the spread of this deadly virus. If we keep this up, we will protect our health care system from being overloaded with critical cases and countless lives will be saved.”
This survey was fielded among a sample of Coloradans who accessed the survey by going to the CDPHE website. This sample may have been more concerned about COVID-19 and may have been more likely to have made behavior changes. The link to the survey was shared widely after release, so that bias may have been reduced. Although people of all racial and ethnic groups took the survey, Hispanic and Black or African-American participants are underrepresented.