2473-0653

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has posed a huge threat to global public health. The spread, prevention, and control of emergent infectious diseases are associated with several social health determinants. Social interventions addressing the social health determinants are crucial for controlling the transmission of virus. Objective: We aimed to explore the effectiveness of social interventions implemented in Western China to obtain new insights for controlling emergent global infectious diseases. Methods: A web-based study was conducted in March 2020 in Western China. Data on government-implemented social interventions were collected using a structured questionnaire from the perspectives of community residents. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to explore the effectiveness of social interventions. Results: A total of 1,450 community residents were included in the current study, and 88 COVID-19 patients were included after PSM. Among 1,450 community residents, >80% reported that community responses to COVID-19 reached them through radio, slogans, and gatekeepers in the community, and almost all of them provided a positive response to social interventions. Residents who positively responded to these interventions were more likely to adopt behaviors that prevent the spread of COVID-19 than COVID-19 patients (P<0.05). Conclusion: Our data suggest that the timely provision of social interventions has been effective in Western China, and these findings could be used to establish international multi-sector collaborative efforts to successfully control COVID-19. We conclude that social interventions provided in the communities are crucial for the control of COVID-19.