Tue, Jun 2nd, 2020 - 9:15pm
May 05, 2020 - 11:38pm | By Chris Larson
The North Dakota Department of Commerce received more than 11,300 responses from the North Dakota COVID-19 Community Impact Survey.
Commerce in partnership with other agencies, issued the statewide survey in April to gain a better understanding of how the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is impacting communities and individuals across the state.
Information gleaned from responses will be used to inform state and partner efforts to support North Dakotans during this challenging time. Notable takeaways from the survey:
99% of respondents self-reported social distancing due to the pandemic, and only 1% reported no change to daily lifestyle.
Survey respondents reported a number of concerning trends in their communities since March 13. The top four concerning situations include increased mental health struggles (68%), people losing their jobs and not knowing where to turn (67%), increased food insecurity and hunger (44%), and decreased social cohesion (42%).
North Dakotans have not only increased creative activity but doing so has helped them manage the negative impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, including social distancing and increased isolation. The North Dakota Council on the Arts recently received CARES Act funding to support local artistic efforts.
85% of respondents reported feeling moderately to extremely concerned about the pandemic. The top three concerns include getting sick from the coronavirus, local businesses struggling and closing and not being able to work.
“Commerce will work with partner agencies and organizations to address the challenges highlighted in the survey,” Deputy Commerce Commissioner, Shawn Kessel said. “Overall, the high rate of response from across the state is an indicator that North Dakotans are really feeling the impact of this pandemic and want to share their experiences.”
A report of survey results can be found at https://belegendary.link/NDCommunitySurvey. More resources for communities are available at www.mainstreetnd.com.
