Needs Assessment Related to COVID-19 with Special Populations: Brief Report

Abstract

A total of 754 adult respondents from the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) participated in a needs assessment survey conducted between May 25, 2020 and June 30, 2020. The survey aimed to reach out to specific populations: immigrants and refugees (N=246), non-immigrant racial/ethnic minority groups (N=163), and people with disabilities (N=93) each had a large enough sample size to include in this report. The survey also aimed to reach out to LGBTQ+ populations, however, we did not collect enough surveys from people who identified as LGBTQ+ to have reliable information. Key findings from the survey included: Understand Information from MOA • Most (94%) reported being knowledgeable/somewhat knowledgeable about the Municipality’s emergency orders and changes related to COVID-19 • Most (93%) reported that the Municipality’s policies related to COVID-19 are clear/very clear. Less Risk Behaviors • Immigrants and refugees, and people with disabilities, were significantly more likely to engage in COVID-19 related protective behaviors (wearing mask, physical distancing, etc.) compared with other survey respondents. More Worried • In terms of mental health, racial/ethnic minorities and immigrants and refugees reported significantly higher levels of worry in terms of household finances, losing employment, having self or members of their household being infected by coronavirus, and having enough to eat compared with other survey respondents. Information Preferences • All three examined groups preferred receiving information about COVID-19 through Internet, television, texting, and email. • A majority of respondents for each examined demographic group reported that their primary source of information about COVID-19 were general media sources (i.e., KTUU, KTVA, ADN) and official sources of information in Alaska (health departments, Dr. Zink, governor, mayor). A majority of immigrants and refugees in the sample (81%) also got their information from social sources (family, friends, social media).