Women are more likely than are men to follow guidelines outlined by medical experts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, new research finds.
Women are more likely than are men to follow guidelines outlined by medical experts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, new research finds.
In an article published in Behavioral Science & Policy, New York University and Yale University researchers report that women have practiced preventive practices of physical distancing, mask wearing, and maintaining hygiene to a greater degree than men. Women were also more likely to listen to experts and exhibit alarm and anxiety in response to COVID-19.
The findings are consistent with pre-pandemic health-care behaviors, the study’s authors note.
“Previous research before the pandemic shows that women had been visiting doctors more frequently in their daily lives and following their recommendations more so than men,” explains Irmak Olcaysoy Okten, a postdoctoral researcher in NYU’s Department of Psychology and the paper’s lead author. “They also pay more attention to the health-related needs of others. So it’s not surprising that these tendencies would translate into greater efforts on behalf of women to prevent the spread of the pandemic.”
Read more at New York University
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