@article{fdi:010086346,
  title = {{D}oes the public know when a scientific controversy is over ? : public perceptions of hydroxychloroquine in {F}rance between {A}pril 2020 and {J}une 2021},
  author = {{S}chultz, {E}milien and {A}tlani {D}uault, {L}a{\¨e}titia and {P}eretti-{W}atel, {P}. and {W}ard, {J}. {K}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{O}bjectives. - {I}n the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 ({COVID}-19) pandemic, chloro-quine and its derivatives such as hydroxychloroquine ({HCQ}) were widely commented upon both within the scientific community and in the media. {T}his paper explores the different factors that influenced public perceptions in {F}rance of the efficacy of {HCQ} as well as their evolution between {A}pril 2020 and {J}une 2021. {M}ethods. - {T}his article draws on 5 surveys conducted among representative samples of the {F}rench population (projects {COCONEL} and {TRACTRUST}; quota method, n = 1006; 1004; 2006; 1014 and 1005). {W}e asked questions on the effectiveness of chloroquine against {COVID}-19. {W}e also collected sociodemographic variables and attitudes toward politics and science. {R}esults. - {B}etween {A}pril and {J}une 2021, the proportion of respondents who believed in the efficacy of {HCQ} decreased rapidly from 35% to 14%. {T}he proportion of respondents who believed that {HCQ} is ineffective rose gradually from 6% to 21%. {A}fter adjusting for the temporal effect, the logistic regression showed a very strong association between political orientation and the belief in the efficacy of {HCQ}. {R}espondents who felt closest to the more radical parties (far -right and far-left) were more likely to believe in the efficacy of {HCQ} than those who felt closest to the political center ({O}.{R}. 2.48 [1.95-3.15] and 1.87 [1.44-2.43]). {T}he role of trust in the government and in science and of the degree of political engagement were investigated in the two waves conducted after the scientific consensus was established during the summer of 2020. {H}igh levels of trust in the government and in science and of politicization are associated with belief of {HCQ} proven inefficacy. {A}cross the whole period, a majority of respondents were uncertain. {E}ven in 2021, 41.5% stated that the data were insufficient to decide whether or not {HCQ} is effective and 25.2% stating that they did not know. {C}onclusion. - {B}ecause media coverage of scientific controversies is higher in times of uncer-tainty than after these controversies have died down, the publicization of therapeutic promises can have lasting consequences on attitudes towards science and medicine.},
  keywords = {{COVID}-19 ; {C}hloroquine ; {S}urveys ; {P}ublic attitude ; {S}ociology ; {H}ydroxychloroquine ; {FRANCE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{T}herapie},
  volume = {77},
  numero = {5},
  pages = {591--602},
  ISSN = {0040-5957},
  year = {2022},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.therap.2022.01.008},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010086346},
}