Compliance with Public Health Measures and Psychological Effects of COVID-19: Two-Group Cross-Sectional Research

Abstract

Objective: COVID-19 has spread since the day it emerged and was declared as a global pandemic. Determining the psychological effects of this situation and the compliance with public health measures will be a guide both in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and possible epidemics in the future. This two-group, cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to determine compliance with public health measures against COVID-19 and to evaluate the levels of fear, depression, anxiety, and stress by analysing individuals who experienced and did not experience COVID-19.
 Method: The study sample consisted of a total of 636 participants. Of these participants, 328 had a positive Polymerase Chain Reaction test and 308 had a negative test. Data was collected using the Diagnostic Form, Questionnaire for the Compliance with Public Health Measures Against the COVID-19, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and the Short Form Depression Anxiety Stress Scale in our online database.
 Results: Although the participants’ compliance with public health measures regarding the use of masks is high, their compliance with the measures related to physical distance is low. Moreover, fear of COVID-19, anxiety, stress, and depression levels are higher in individuals who experienced COVID-19 than those who did not experience COVID-19. Also, both groups have high levels of fear, anxiety, stress, and depression.
 Conclusion: In conclusion, priority should be given to strategies aimed to increase compliance with physical distance and to detect and control the psychological effects of COVID-19 in the whole society, especially in individuals experiencing COVID-19.