Culture And COVID-19 Related Mortality- A Cross Sectional Study of 53 Countries

Abstract The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of culture on COVID-19 related mortality relying on Hofstede’s six dimensional concept of culture. Retrieving data from 53 countries a multivariable regression model was fitted that controls for health related, economic and policy related variables that have been found to be associated with mortality. In particular we included the percentage of population above 65 years of age, the prevalence of relevant co-morbidities (i.e. diabetes, hypertension, cancer. obesity), and tobacco usage as health related variables. Economic variables were GDP per capita and the connectedness of a country as measured by the number of international arrivals. As policy variables we included the Oxford stringency index as well as stringency speed, and the Global Health Security index. The results suggests that individualistic societies can navigate well through the pandemic when they are also characterized by low power distance which reflects a low acceptance of inequality within a society. This finding contradicts with previous studies that supported the popular narrative that autocratic societies with an obedient population are better positioned to manage the pandemic.