Emerson College and Blanquerna conduct a perception study amidst COVID-19 Pandemic

Wednesday, 15 April 2020. Researchers from Emerson-Blanquerna Center for Global Communication collaborated on a study focusing on perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of their respective populations during the COVID 19 crisis.

The study reveals differences between the two countries, as 81% of residents in Spain are confident that their healthcare system will effectively respond to the Coronavirus, compared to only 62% of Americans reporting confidence in their local hospitals to effectively handle the outbreak of Coronavirus (Emerson College/Nexstar National and New York Surveys).

Dr. Enric Ordeix, co-director of the Center and director of the Degree in Global Communication Management notes that “the data suggests that people in Spain are more confident with their universal healthcare program than the people in the US are with American healthcare". 

Dr. Gregory Payne, co-director of the Emerson-Blanquerna Center for Global Communication notes that “while difficult to compare cross-cultures, Spain and New York share similar circumstances in regards to the perception of catching the virus, people at home sick with the virus and about the same rate of job loss.

However, Spain appears more positive and hopeful at this time about the future. This suggests that perhaps Spain is a few weeks ahead of New York, and in time New Yorkers’ anxiety will wane, or perhaps that the cultural differences and values are impacting these differing reactions to the crisis.”