Survey Overview
In 2022, Marin County Public Health (MCPH) within the Department of Health and Human Services conducted a Rapid Community Assessment (RCA) to assess and improve the COVID-19 pandemic response. Trained county staff visited 253 randomly selected households to ask about the County's response efforts, knowledge of resources, COVID-19 prevention measures, and trusted sources of information. All interviews were voluntary and no identifying information was collected.
Survey Collection
The survey was administered in four Marin census tracts that were most heavily impacted by COVID-19, and in three randomly selected additional census tracts. Households in selected communities were notified in advance and all interviews were voluntary and anonymous. Random selection was employed to remove the bias that occurs when responses are limited to those who are technically able to, and choose to share their opinion. Trained bilingual staff administered the survey.
A copy of the survey can be found here. A description of how the RCA was developed and how the sample of households was chosen can be found here.
Results are displayed for the public below in interactive charts that allow viewers to sort by communities and other demographic groups.
Demographics and Households
Respondents were asked demographic questions to best describe their households. The data below show the responses to questions regarding the primary language spoken by household members, the type of home, and what race/ethnicity group the majority of their household identified with.
Knowledge and Beliefs
There were 16 survey items that asked about community members' knowledge and beliefs about COVID-19. Respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement with each item, with response options including strongly disagree, somewhat disagree, neither agree nor disagree, somewhat agree, or strongly agree.
This chart summarizes the results of COVID-19 knowledge and beliefs among Marin residents who were surveyed.
Source of COVID-19 Information
Respondents were asked to indicate the main sources of COVID-19 information their households use. Respondents were also asked to indicate how useful COVID-19 information provided by the County was and how satisfied they were with the County's overall pandemic response.
This chart shows results regarding sources of information.
Key Findings and Implications
1. Knowledge of, and support for, COVID-19 protective measures, including testing, mask use, and vaccinations was generally high among Marin residents surveyed, across communities.
- Marin’s comparatively low case and mortality rates may be attributable to high levels of adherence to evidence-based precautions.
- Consistent messaging delivered by trusted messengers across Marin was a pandemic response priority. Communications from Community Response Teams (CRTs), healthcare providers, and other community partners were coordinated through MCPH, and updated regularly on the local COVID-19 website https://coronavirus.marinhhs.org.
2. Knowledge of the availability of safe and effective oral treatments was significantly lower than that of other protective measures. This was especially true in lower-income communities.
- Promotion of treatments such as Paxlovid required a dedicated and proactive communication strategy in every community, to reach all residents.
- Information about treatments for COVID-19 infection has been publicized by our CRTs, shared in weekly Status Updates and on https://coronavirus.marinhhs.org/TestToTreat.
3. Healthcare providers were the most common overall source of COVID-19 information, though preferred sources varied by community.
- Regular meetings between MCPH and healthcare providers ensured alignment in public communications between the two most common sources of information.
4. Most residents found the pandemic information provided by the County useful to them.
- Earning and maintaining public trust is a priority for Marin Public Health. This was fostered through frequent and transparent communications, regular Status Updates and Public Health Officer videos, and the COVID-19 surveillance website. Data dashboards for other conditions can help the public stay informed, including Influenza; Overdose; Hepatitis C; Life Expectancy; Reportable Communicable Diseases, and Wastewater.
5. When asked, residents can play an active role in providing information that’s critical for assessing and improving government disaster response.
- The RCA survey showed that it’s feasible and valuable to ask community members directly about their experience of our government response. This helps tailor future strategies to be more effective and equitable and can lead to a more community-centered disaster response. The data are being shared here so that the community knows the results and can help in the identification of opportunities to improve MCPH's effectiveness.
Sharing Results
Marin County Health and Human Services have used these results to further refine our communication strategy and address gaps in access to resources.
A summary of key community-level results was mailed to all residents in each community selected for interviews. A summary of key findings from each city/region is presented in the chart below.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank our community partners for their insight and support in administering the RCA to various communities throughout the county. Since 2021, these community partners have encompassed the county’s Community Response Teams (CRTs) to help address COVID-19 needs in communities heavily impacted by COVID-19. Our community partners include San Geronimo Valley Community Center, Multicultural Center of Marin, Canal Alliance, West Marin Community Services, North Marin Community Services, and Marin County Cooperation Team.
Taking Action
For the latest information on COVID-19 treatment resources, please visit: https://coronavirus.marinhhs.org/TestToTreat
For the latest information on COVID-19 testing resources, please visit: https://coronavirus.marinhhs.org/testing
For the latest information on COVID-19 vaccination, please visit: https://coronavirus.marinhhs.org/vaccine
For the latest information and guidelines on masks and face coverings, please visit: https://coronavirus.marinhhs.org/masks
For the latest COVID-19 Community Levels in Marin County, please visit: https://coronavirus.marinhhs.org/surveillance