Tom Hanks’ diagnosis of COVID-19 shaped public perception of virus, study finds – Edexlive

When award-winning actor Tom Hanks announced his diagnosis with COVID-19 last year in March, many Americans were still learning about the virus and its severity. However, Hanks’ social media posts have shaped people’s behavior towards the virus, a new study suggests.

Researchers, including Jessica Gall Myrick from Pennsylvania State University in the United States, asked about 700 people about their attitudes and behaviors towards the virus the day after the news broke on social media. by Hanks on March 11, 2020.

Just under 90% of those polled had heard of Hanks’ social media posts saying he had contracted the virus, and about half of that group said it changed their attitudes and behaviors.

“There is a growing body of research into how celebrity behavior and social media posts can affect public health,” Myrick said in the study published in the journal Health Communication.

“Celebrities can have huge reach, often more than the typical scientists or doctors or the health department. If they encourage positive behavior change in health, it can serve as a de facto public health intervention.” , Myrick added.

According to the study, people who heard the news reported that Hanks’ diagnosis “highlighted the reality of COVID-19” and broadened their understanding not only of the seriousness of the situation but also of their susceptibility to it. disease.

Nearly half of the participants who heard the news during the survey reported a range of emotional responses, according to the study.

Responses included “surprise, fear, anger, sadness and hope”.

Respondents who said they made changes said Hanks’ disclosure prompted them to seek more information and / or take more stringent precautions.

Half of the respondents who heard the news and said that Hanks’ diagnosis had not changed their thoughts or behaviors said they believed the actor would recover from the illness.

They also noted that they were already aware of COVID-19 and its effects and did not believe Hanks’ announcement changed their view or intentions regarding the virus.

The researchers conducted a statistical analysis to see if and what characteristics could predict whether people’s attitudes and behaviors changed after learning of Hanks’ diagnosis.

The results indicated that people who identified with Hanks or said they knew him were more likely to change their thoughts or behaviors related to COVID as a result of the announcement.