Societal values versus individual rights with respect to public health related practices during the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.

Policies aimed at limiting COVID-19 spread during the pandemic generated dissatisfaction and resistance as they limited privileges or were perceived to infringe on individuals’ rights. Simultaneously, pandemic control and risk mitigation practices are seemingly subject to social resistance, just as other personal risk mitigating practices like seat belt use are. This analysis contributes to understanding U.S. resident perceptions of and compliance with public health pandemic control measures in January 2021. U.S. resident agreement with societal values statements as they pertain to healthcare, societal obligations to protect the elderly and children, and individual rights were studied. For all personal viral spread reducing behaviors studied, likelihood of participation increased with increasing agreement that: healthcare is a human right; the respondent wears a seat belt; we have a societal responsibility to protect the elderly; and having themselves or someone in their household in the higher risk group for COVID-19 complications. Agreement that gun ownership was a right decreased the likelihood of participation in any of the personal behaviors that affect viral spread. This study aims to understand societal perceptions of individual responsibility and rights relative to societal values and responsibilities, which has implications for future public health policy discussions.