Which Experts & Why? Public Health Expertise during COVID-19 in Three Countries

• In Event: Trust Us? How Public Perceptions and Trust Impact Support for Health Policies

Abstract

How do citizens perceive different types of public health experts and what are the implications for compliance with public health measures? I study this question using a series of survey experiments implemented in Germany, Italy, and the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. The experiments randomized whether respondents received a public health recommendation from either a generic, World Health Organization, national, or local public health expert. The results show little difference on overall acceptance of the recommendation, but they do indicate that different types of public health experts have strengths and weaknesses when communicating with the public. International and national experts were considered to be more competent and knowledgeable, while local health experts were trusted more to understand the needs of respondents’ communities. I also find some differences based on partisan affiliation, with right-wing respondents more affected by the treatments. These results suggest that distrust of experts may have different causes based on the nature of their position, which is important to consider when conveying public health measures to the public.

Author

• Renu Singh, Durham University