Gender and pandemic perception: analyzing perceived risk and fear among Brazilian women

OBJECTIVE: The World Health Organization has warned of the importance of looking at the pandemic from a gender perspective since biological, social, and cultural aspects can produce differences in the way women and men experience the ongoing pandemic situation. This study aimed to investigate Brazilian women’s perception of COVID-19 concerning the susceptibility to infection, the severity of COVID-19, and the collective behavior in response to pandemic risks. It also sought to examine the COVID-19 level of perceived fears by the level of fear across specific COVID-19 fears, such as the risk of infection and the threat posed to life. METHODS: The sample consisted of 5527 Brazilian women aged between 18 and 74 years (mean age = 41, SD = 13.5) recruited from an online cross-sectional survey conducted in Brazil. The analysis addressed questions about the chance of COVID-19 infection, the impact on daily activities in case of infection, the threat to life posed by COVID-19, and the collective behavior in the pandemic context. In addition, the fear of COVID-19 was assessed using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). RESULTS: Women’s age and personal conditions, particularly those related to family and domestic life, showed association with the perceived susceptibility to infection and the severity of COVID-19. The higher the perceived susceptibility and severity, the greater the fear level. The fear level was also higher among women whose perception was that people were ignoring the pandemic risks. CONCLUSION: This study provides insight into Brazilian women’s perception of COVID-19 and their fear level during the pandemic’s early stages. Our findings can increase the understanding of the adverse consequences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on women, assisting in the strategic planning of public policies.