Written by Nancy Lee, as part of her Social Marketing Sightings theme.
Sighted on: Medical Xpress
Social Issue: COVID-19
Social Marketing Strategy: Preventive Behaviors
An article written by the Georgetown University Medical Center discussed the “Higher COVID-19 death rates in the southern U.S. due to behavioral differences.” The investigators of the study at the School of Nursing & Health Studies state that “regional differences in COVID-19 mortality rates have persisted throughout the pandemic. The southern part of the U.S. has had higher mortality rates than the rest of the U.S. since the start of summer in 2020.” It was further stated that these regions had these markedly different mortality rates, primarily due to differences observed in mask use, school attendance, social distancing, and other behaviors. In “our” words, a stronger Social Marketing approach would have helped lower these rates.