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Politicizing the Mask: Political, Economic and Demographic Factors Affecting Mask Wearing Behavior in the USA

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  • Leo H. Kahane

    (Providence College)

Abstract

This paper uses survey data at the county level to explore the factors determining mask-wearing behavior in the USA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Empirical results provide evidence that the tendency to wear a mask while in public is significantly lower in counties where then-candidate Donald Trump found strong support during the 2016 presidential election. In addition, states with mask-wearing mandates tend to witness greater mask-wearing behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Leo H. Kahane, 2021. "Politicizing the Mask: Political, Economic and Demographic Factors Affecting Mask Wearing Behavior in the USA," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 47(2), pages 163-183, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:easeco:v:47:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1057_s41302-020-00186-0
    DOI: 10.1057/s41302-020-00186-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Edward L. Glaeser, 2021. "Urban Resilience," NBER Working Papers 29261, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Miji Kwon & Eun-Mi Jang & Wonyoung Yang, 2022. "Mask-Wearing Perception of Preschool Children in Korea during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-13, September.
    3. Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, 2022. "Can not wanting to wear a mask be rational?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 42(3), pages 1399-1404.
    4. Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, 2023. "On mask wearing in environments with and without a mask mandate," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 43(1), pages 373-380.
    5. Sarah L. Jackson & Sahar Derakhshan & Leah Blackwood & Logan Lee & Qian Huang & Margot Habets & Susan L. Cutter, 2021. "Spatial Disparities of COVID-19 Cases and Fatalities in United States Counties," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-21, August.
    6. Joshua Ping Ang & Tim Murray, 2021. "Education in Mathematics and the Spread of COVID-19," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 47(4), pages 571-589, October.
    7. Edward L Glaeser, 2022. "Urban resilience," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(1), pages 3-35, January.
    8. Alyssa A. Guo & Marissa A. Crum & Lauren A. Fowler, 2021. "Assessing the Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 in Undergraduate Medical Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-14, March.
    9. Chen, Ke & Gong, Yazhen & Zhao, Jinhua, 2024. "Are facemasks effective against particulate matter pollution? Evidence from the field," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Facemask wearing; Corona virus; COVID-19; Donald Trump; Mask mandates;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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