Gender differences in COVID-19-related behaviours: evidence from three ethnic minority groups

Abstract

BackgroundThe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has hit minorities more profoundly than the majority society. We evaluated the interplay between ethnic minority identity, gender, and COVID-19-related attitudes and behaviours.Participants and procedureUsing data from a survey carried out among both members of ethnic minorities in Poland and Mexico and the majority outgroups, we assessed the perception of the pandemic as a grave threat to the self and to the world, as well as compliance with the protective measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. We tested the effects of gender and minority versus majority status on protective compliance, and of the pandemic as a threat to the self and the world.ResultsA two-way ANOVA test with gender and ethnicity factors revealed significant effects of gender, ethnicity, and gender × ethnicity interaction. The effect of gender was significant for compliance with protective behaviours, threat to the self, and threat to the world. Women had higher mean levels of protective behaviours, perceptions of threat to the self, and perceptions of threat to the world than men. The effect of Indigenous ethnicity was significant for protective behaviours and threat to the world. The mean level of protective behaviours and threat to the world was higher for ethnic minority groups than for non-minority groups.ConclusionsMaladaptive gender differences in COVID-19-related attitudes and behaviour are less prominent among people self-identifying as ethnic minority members.