Health and Election Outcomes: Evidence from the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election

Recent research indicates that political developments and events can have important implications for health. In this study, we use data from a large, nationally representative survey (N = 1750) fielded in December 2020 to understand how the 2020 Presidential Election impacted self-reported health ra...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPolitical research quarterly Vol. 76; no. 2; pp. 712 - 724
Main Authors Panagopoulos, Costas, Weinschenk, Aaron C.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.06.2023
SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
Subjects
Health status
Mental health
Polarization
Presidential elections
health and politics
health
2020 presidential election
mental health
health and elections
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Summary:Recent research indicates that political developments and events can have important implications for health. In this study, we use data from a large, nationally representative survey (N = 1750) fielded in December 2020 to understand how the 2020 Presidential Election impacted self-reported health ratings. Several important findings emerge. First, many Americans report that their mental (14%) and general (6%) health has worsened compared to before the 2020 presidential election; similar number of Americans report improvements to their mental (15%) and general (8%) health. Second, those who voted for Trump and who disagree that Biden won the election are significantly less likely than their counterparts to report better mental, but not general, health compared to before the 2020 election. These relationships persist even in the context of a wide range of controls, including demographics, political predispositions, and perceptions of polarization.
ISSN:1065-9129
1938-274X
DOI:10.1177/10659129221113256