TY - JOUR
T1 - Social Capital Mediates the Relationship between Social Distancing and COVID-19 Prevalence in Japan
AU - Kokubun, Keisuke
AU - Yamakawa, Yoshinori
N1 - Funding Information:
K.K. performed the data analysis, wrote the main manuscript text, and prepared the figures and tables. Y.Y. conducted the supervisory work and was responsible for funding acquisition and project administration. All authors reviewed and edited the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - The threat of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is increasing. Regarding the differences in the infection rate observed in each region, additionally to studies investigating the causes of differences in population density as a proxy for social distancing, an increasing trend of studies investigating the causes of differences in social capital has also been seen (ie, value sharing, acceptance of norms, unity, and trust through reciprocity). However, studies investigating whether social capital that controls the effects of population density also influences the infection rate are limited. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the relationship between infection rate, population density, and social capital using statistical data of Japan’s every prefecture. Statistical analysis showed that social capital not only negatively correlates with infection rates and population densities, but also negatively correlates with infection rates controlling for the effects of population density. Additionally, controlling the relationship between the variables by mean age showed that social capital had a greater correlation with infection rate than population density. In other words, social capital mediates the relationship between population density and infection rates, indicating that social distancing alone is not enough to deter coronavirus disease; social capital needs to be recharged.
AB - The threat of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is increasing. Regarding the differences in the infection rate observed in each region, additionally to studies investigating the causes of differences in population density as a proxy for social distancing, an increasing trend of studies investigating the causes of differences in social capital has also been seen (ie, value sharing, acceptance of norms, unity, and trust through reciprocity). However, studies investigating whether social capital that controls the effects of population density also influences the infection rate are limited. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the relationship between infection rate, population density, and social capital using statistical data of Japan’s every prefecture. Statistical analysis showed that social capital not only negatively correlates with infection rates and population densities, but also negatively correlates with infection rates controlling for the effects of population density. Additionally, controlling the relationship between the variables by mean age showed that social capital had a greater correlation with infection rate than population density. In other words, social capital mediates the relationship between population density and infection rates, indicating that social distancing alone is not enough to deter coronavirus disease; social capital needs to be recharged.
KW - Japan
KW - coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
KW - population density
KW - social capital
KW - social distancing
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U2 - 10.1177/00469580211005189
DO - 10.1177/00469580211005189
M3 - Article
C2 - 33858247
AN - SCOPUS:85104418689
VL - 58
JO - Inquiry (United States)
JF - Inquiry (United States)
SN - 0046-9580
ER -