1. Does the public know when a scientific controversy is over? Public perceptions of hydroxychloroquine in France between April 2020 and June 2021
- Author
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Schultz, Émilien, Atlani-Duault, L, Peretti-Watel, p, Ward, J, Centre population et développement (CEPED - UMR_D 196), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité), 'Cancer, Biomedicine & Society' group (SESSTIM - U1252 INSERM - AMU - UMR 259 IRD), Sciences Economiques et Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale (SESSTIM - U1252 INSERM - Aix Marseille Univ - UMR 259 IRD), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Vecteurs - Infections tropicales et méditerranéennes (VITROME), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées [Brétigny-sur-Orge] (IRBA), CERMES3 - Centre de recherche Médecine, sciences, santé, santé mentale, société (CERMES3 - UMR 8211 / U988 / UM 7), École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité), The surveys were conducted thanks to two projects funded by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR): COCONEL (ANR-20-COVI-0035-01, dir. Patrick Peretti-Watel) and TRAC-TRUST (ANR-20-COVI-0102, dir. Laëtitia Atlani-Duault)., ANR-20-COVI-0035,COCONEL,COronavirus et CONfinement : Enquête Longitudinale(2020), ANR-20-COVI-0102,TRACTRUST (Tracking Trust),Surveiller la confiance et la méfiance: analyser les médias sociaux pour soutenir la réponse de santé publique au Covid-19(2020), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université de Paris (UP), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Paris (UP), Université Paris Cité, Equipe HAL, COronavirus et CONfinement : Enquête Longitudinale - - COCONEL2020 - ANR-20-COVI-0035 - COVID-19 - VALID, and Surveiller la confiance et la méfiance: analyser les médias sociaux pour soutenir la réponse de santé publique au Covid-19 - - TRACTRUST (Tracking Trust)2020 - ANR-20-COVI-0102 - COVID-19 - VALID
- Subjects
[SDV.SP.MED] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Pharmaceutical sciences/Medication ,[SHS.SOCIO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Sociology ,SARS-CoV-2 ,[SHS.SOCIO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Sociology ,Social Pharmacology ,COVID-19 ,Chloroquine ,Surveys ,Antiviral Agents ,030226 pharmacology & pharmacy ,COVID-19 Drug Treatment ,3. Good health ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Sociology ,[SDV.SP.MED]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Pharmaceutical sciences/Medication ,[SDV.SPEE] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Santé publique et épidémiologie ,Public Opinion ,Public attitude ,Humans ,Pharmacology (medical) ,[SDV.SPEE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Santé publique et épidémiologie ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Hydroxychloroquine - Abstract
Objectives In the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, chloroquine and its derivatives such as hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) were widely commented upon both within the scientific community and in the media. This paper explores the different factors that influenced public perceptions in France of the efficacy of HCQ as well as their evolution between April 2020 and June 2021. Methods This article draws on 5 surveys conducted among representative samples of the French population (projects COCONEL and TRACTRUST; quota method, n = 1006; 1004; 2006; 1014 and 1005). We asked questions on the effectiveness of chloroquine against COVID-19. We also collected sociodemographic variables and attitudes toward politics and science. Results Between April and June 2021, the proportion of respondents who believed in the efficacy of HCQ decreased rapidly from 35% to 14%. The proportion of respondents who believed that HCQ is ineffective rose gradually from 6% to 21%. After adjusting for the temporal effect, the logistic regression showed a very strong association between political orientation and the belief in the efficacy of HCQ. Respondents who felt closest to the more radical parties (far-right and far-left) were more likely to believe in the efficacy of HCQ than those who felt closest to the political center (O.R. 2.48 [1.95–3.15] and 1.87 [1.44–2.43]). The role of trust in the government and in science and of the degree of political engagement were investigated in the two waves conducted after the scientific consensus was established during the summer of 2020. High levels of trust in the government and in science and of politicization are associated with belief of HCQ proven inefficacy. Across the whole period, a majority of respondents were uncertain. Even in 2021, 41.5% stated that the data were insufficient to decide whether or not HCQ is effective and 25.2% stating that they did not know. Conclusion Because media coverage of scientific controversies is higher in times of uncertainty than after these controversies have died down, the publicization of therapeutic promises can have lasting consequences on attitudes towards science and medicine.
- Published
- 2022
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