The Institutional and Cultural Context of Cross-National Variation in COVID-19 Outbreaks

Messner, Wolfgang

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented and cascading threat to the health and economic prosperity of the worlds population. ObjectivesTo understand whether the institutional and cultural context influences the COVID-19 outbreak. MethodsAt the ecological level, regression coefficients are examined to figure out contextual variables influencing the pandemics exponential growth rate across 96 countries. ResultsWhile a strong institutional context is negatively associated with the outbreak (B = -0.55 ... -0.64, p < 0.001), the pandemics growth rate is steeper in countries with a quality education system (B = 0.33, p < 0.001). Countries with an older population are more affected (B = 0.46, p < 0.001). Societies with individualistic (rather than collectivistic) values experience a flatter rate of pathogen proliferation (B = -0.31, p < 0.001), similarly for higher levels of power distance (B = -0.32, p < 0.001). Hedonistic values, that is seeking indulgence and not enduring restraints, are positively related to the outbreak (B = 0.23, p = 0.001). ConclusionsThe results emphasize the need for public policy makers to pay close attention to the institutional and cultural context in their respective countries when instigating measures aimed at constricting the pandemics growth.