Perceptions of the Pandemic
and its Effects
May 21, 2020

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Methodology

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

How the poll
was
conducted

●

Fielded from 4/24/2020 to 5/7/2020 (by
Hootology)

●

813 Arizonans (via Innovate)

●

Web-based (desktop and mobile devices)

●

10-minute average completion time

●

Balanced for age, gender, ethnicity, region

●

American Indian, Hispanic, and rural residents
were oversampled

●

Margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points (95%
confidence level)

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

The poll in context
3/30:
Arizona
executive
“stay
home”
order

3/15:
Arizona
closes
public
schools

3/27:
CARES
Act is
signed
($2T)

4/24-5/7:
Morrison
InstituteArizona
Republic
poll in field

4/13:
Americans
begin
receiving
stimulus
checks

5/15:
Arizona
executive
order
expires

5/8:
Arizona
“soft”
reopen

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Government
response and
policy options
Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Rating government entities
How would you rate the response of your government entities to COVID-19? Rate the response to
COVID-19 on each government level.
Percent of Arizonans who rank each government entity as “good” or “excellent”
K-12 School Administration(s)

42%

State government

35%

Federal government

32%

County government
Tribal government
Municipal government

31%
29%
27%

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

39%

30%

Urban Arizonans

Rural Arizonans

Rated the state government response to COVID-19
as “excellent” or “good.”

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Civil liberties and public health
Do you agree with the following statement …
The right balance has been struck between civil liberties and public health in the
COVID-19 response.

Yes, I agree.

48%

No, more priority should be placed on public
health.

No, more priority should be placed on civil liberties.

34%

18%

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Civil liberties and public health, by party
Do you agree with the following statement …
The right balance has been struck between civil liberties and public health in the
COVID-19 response.
45%
Yes, I agree.

49%
50%

17%
No, more priority should be placed on civil liberties.

27%
11%

38%
No, more priority should be placed on public health.

24%
39%

Not Affiliated with a Party

Republican

Democrat

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Emergency health preparedness
Arizonans of all income levels and education levels believe that Arizona should routinely assess public
health emergency preparedness with agreement increasing as incomes and educations increase.
Arizonans who agree or strongly agree
Arizona should routinely assess public
health emergency preparedness, by
income
Greater than $150,000

Arizonans who agree or strongly agree
Arizona should routinely assess public
health emergency preparedness, by
education
96%
Master’s degree or higher

Household Income

$100,001 - $150,000
$75,001 - $100,000
$50,001 - $75,000
$25,000 - $50,000
Less than $25,000

93%

85%
82%
77%
80%
71%

Four-year college or university
graduate

79%

Commu nity College Degree (AA) or
technical college graduate

80%

High school or GED

Have not graduated high school

73%

55%

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Health coverage for citizens
Sixty-one percent of Arizonans agree or strongly agree that the U.S. should provide health care
coverage for all citizens.
Registered voters who agree or strongly agree that the U.S. should provide health
care coverage for all citizens, by party affiliation

Republican

Not affiliated with a party

Democrat

36%

59%

81%

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Funding for public health agencies
Seventy percent of Arizonans believe that Arizona should increase funding for public health agencies.
Agreement with this statement varies with education. Highly educated Arizonans tend to agree with
this statement at higher rates.
Arizonans who agree or strongly agree that Arizona should increase funding for public
health agencies, by education
Master’s degree or higher

93%

Four-year college or university graduate

79%

Community College Degree (AA) or technical college
graduate

80%

High school or GED
Have not graduated high school

73%
55%

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

The economy
and housing

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Overall financial position
More than half of Arizonans (56%) say they are doing about as well as they were last year financially.
Compared with one year ago, are you
better off financially, about the same, or
worse off?

How would you describe the economic
impact COVID-19 has had on your
household?
Strong positive impact

Positive impact
56%

16%

55%

Better off

About the same
April/May 2020

6%

No impact
29%

21%

4%

23%

Wo rse off

33%

Negative impact

Strong negative impact

43%

13%

June/July 2019

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Perceptions of personal financial position
To what extent do you agree with the following statements about the financial impact COVID-19 has
had on your household?

Strongly Agree/Agree

Neutral

Disagree/Strongly Disagree

I have reduced my spending since COVID-19 started.

67%

17%

I am struggling financially since COVID-19 started.

40%

20%

I have increased the amount I am saving since COVID-19
started.

39%

25%

I was struggling financially before COVID-19 started.

31%
0%

20%

40%

37%

21%
40%

18%

47%
60%

80%

100%

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Stimulus checks
More than half of Arizonans say they will spend their stimulus check on necessities.
If I receive a stimulus check from the government, I will …
(check all that apply)
Spend it on necessities, like housing costs, groceries, or
utility bills

55%

Save it

45%

Invest it

12%

Donate it

9%

Spend it on non-necessities, like entertainment or hobbies
Other

8%
5%
Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Loss of income during the pandemic
Arizonans with lower incomes have been more likely to be furloughed or to have lost their jobs.
60%
50%
40%
30%

35%
17%

20%
10%

6%

13%
14%

15%

7%
11%

0%
Less than $25,000 $25,000- $50,000 $50,001 - $75,000
I have been furloughed

8%
$75,001 $100,000

15%
$100,001 $150,000

3%

3%
Greater than
$150,000

I have lost my job
Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Furloughs and layoffs, by age and education
Younger, older, and less-educated workers have been particularly hard-hit by the pandemic.
45%

45%
40%

40%

35%
35%

30%

26%

25%

30%
9%

25%
8%

15%
10%

13%

5%
23%

17%

15%
9%

9%

6%

0%
18-24

25-34

17%

20%

10%

11%

5%

26%

15%

17%

20%

25%

35-44

I have been furloughed

45-54

55-64

I have lost my job

65+

9%
17%

15%

15%

2%
5%

7%

0%
Have not High school or Commu nity
graduated high
GED
College
school
Degree (AA)
or technical
college
graduate
I have been furloughed

Four-year
college or
university
graduate

Master’s
degree or
higher

I have lost my job

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Support for small businesses, by HH income
Since COVID-19, has any of the following changed for your household? Supporting small businesses.

57%

56%

55%
48%

46%
41%

40%

39%

36%

31%
27%

25%

25%
20%

19%

14%

12%

7%

Less than $25,000

$25,000- $50,000

$50,001 - $75,000
Increased

$75,001 - $100,000

About the same

$100,001 - $150,000

Greater than $150,000

Decreased
Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Workplace safety, education & HH income
What is most true about your work environment and the protective health gear available (masks,
gloves, shields, etc.)?

33%

61%

44%

35%
11%

Have not graduated high school

23%

39%
13%

High school or GED

29%

32%

15%

Commu nity College Degree
(AA) or technical college
graduate

27%

16%

11%

Four-year college or university
graduate

6%

Master’s degree or higher

74%
36%
12% 12%
Less than $25,000

31% 27%

14%

$25,000- $50,000

39%

34% 30%
9%
$50,001 - $75,000

We have all the protective health gear that we need.

47%
24%

17%

$75,001 - $100,000

24%

10%

$100,001 - $150,000

13% 3%
Greater than $150,000

We have some protective health gear but not enough.

We do not have any protective health gear.
Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Perceptions of telework
Most people agree office jobs can be done as effectively from home (60%) and agree teleworking
should continue once COVID-19 restrictions ease (55%).
Teleworking should continue once
COVID-19 restrictions ease.

Most office jobs can be done as
effectively from home as from an office.
Suburban

20%

Rural

23%

Urb an

23%

0%

10%

40%

Suburban

22%

32%

35%

Rural

21%

40%

Urb an

20%

43%
20%

30%

Strongly Agree

40%
Agree

50%

60%

70%

0%

10%

36%

20%

30%

Strongly Agree

40%

50%

60%

70%

Agree

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Housing security, by HH income
Almost one-third of Arizonans (29%) feel like their housing situation is less secure than before COVID-19.
My housing situation feels less secure than before COVID-19.
62%
57%
50%

49%

48%

45%

45%
41%

29%

29%
21%

23%

23%

21%

21%

16%

14%
5%

Less than $25,000

$25,000- $50,000

$50,001 - $75,000
Agree

$75,001 - $100,000
Unsure

$100,001 - $150,000

Greater than $150,000

Disagree
Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Missed rent/mortgage, by HH income
Arizonans in the highest income brackets missed their rent or mortgage payments more than lower
income Arizonans.
Have you missed a rent or mortgage payment as a result of COVID-19?
35%

22%
18%

16%

15%
9%

Less than $25,000

$25,000- $50,000

$50,001 - $75,000

$75,001 - $100,000

$100,001 - $150,000

Greater than $150,000
Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Education and
health

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Access to technology & learning engagement
Parents with children from low income families are less likely to say that their children have the
technology necessary to engage in online learning and are less likely to say that their children are
actively engaged in online learning.
My children have the necessary
technology to fully engage in online
learning (agree/strongly agree).
67%

Less than
$25,000

70%

78%

86%

My child/children are actively engaged in
learning (agree/strongly agree).
79%
66%

62%

$25,000$50,000

88%

91%

53%

$50,001 $75,000

$75,001 $100,000

Household Income

$100,001 $150,000

Greater
than
$150,000

Less than
$25,000

57%

$25,000$50,000

$50,001 $75,000

61%

$75,001 $100,000

$100,001 - Greater than
$150,000
$150,000

Household Income
Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Concern about disruption to learning
In contrast, parents of children in higher income brackets are more likely to be concerned that their
child will fall behind in school. People with higher household incomes are also more likely to be
concerned that COVID-19 will decrease the chance their child will graduate high school.
I worry that my child(ren) will fall
behind (agree/strongly agree).
82%

I am concerned the COVID-19
disruption will decrease my
child(ren)’s likelihood of graduating
high school (agree/strongly agree).

67%
57%
47%

39%

43%

41%
28%

Less than
$25,000

$25,000$50,000

$50,001 - $75,001 - $100,001 $75,000 $100,000 $150,000

Household Income

74%

67%

45%

Greater
than
$150,000

Less than
$25,000

$25,000$50,000

25%

$50,001 - $75,001 - $100,001 $75,000 $100,000 $150,000

Greater
than
$150,000

Household Income

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Concern about learning disruption, by race
Percent of parent/gaurdians who agree/strongly agree with: I worry that my child(ren) will fall behind.
African American/Black

67%

Hispanic

63%

American Indian/Alaska
Native

61%

Other

60%

Caucasian/White (NonHispanic)
Asian American or Pacific
Islander

44%

28%

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Concern about completing high school
I am concerned the COVID-19 disruption will decrease my child(ren)’s likelihood of
graduating high school.
Hispanic

49%

American Indian/Alaska Native

48%

African American/Black

38%

Caucasian/White (Non-Hispanic)

Asian American or Pacific Islander

28%

22%

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Personal precautions during the pandemic
Most Arizonans (75%) say they are taking all the COVID-19 precautions they want to take. However,
income and access to protective gear are reported to be the top barriers to preventing Arizonans from
taking all the precautions they would want to take to minimize exposure to the coronavirus.
Income

49%

Access to protective gear

48%

Access to cleaning supplies

44%

Family members/roommates

31%

Living arrangement

25%

Transportation limitations

22%

I am an essential worker

21%

Employer expectations

18%

Unexpected emergency
Access to clean water for hygiene
I am taking care of someone outside my home

16%
9%
6%
Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Telemedicine use during COVID-19
Of the Arizonans who have used telemedicine during COVID-19, an most are satisfied or very
satisfied.
If you used telemedicine during COVID-19, how satisfied
were you with the medical care you received? (n=253)
48%
34%

12%
6%
Very satisfied

Satisfied

Somewhat satisfied

20% of Arizonans have
used telemedicine for the
first time during
COVID-19

Dissatisfied
Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Health and lifestyle during the pandemic
Half of Arizonans say that they are cooking more since COVID-19 and 28% of Arizonans say they
are exercising more and eating healthy more since COVID-19.

53% of Arizonans say
they are cooking more
since COVID-19

28% of Arizonans say
they are exercising
more since COVID-19

28% of Arizonans say
they are eating healthy
more often since
COVID-19

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Social distancing, general population
In the last 24 hours, other than the people in your household, how many different individuals have you
been within six feet of?
37%
32%

16%
11%
4%

0

1-3

4-7
0

1-3

4-7

8-20
8-20

21+

21+
Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.

Gain more insight.
On the web: morrisoninstitute.asu.edu
Contact: morrison.institute@asu.edu

Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents.