Abstract
International Journal of Medicine and Public Health,2020,10,4,189-197.DOI:10.5530/ijmedph.2020.4.41Published:November 2020Type:Original ArticleDeterminants of Protective Behaviour Adoption and the Implications for Health Authorities During a PandemicMickaela Jordan Nixon, and Mona Jafari Koshkouei Mickaela Jordan Nixon1,3,*, Mona Jafari Koshkouei2,3 1Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. 2Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. 3St Peter’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Abstract:Introduction: Health authorities across the world have implemented non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as social distancing measures and hand hygiene campaigns in response to COVID-19. However, the adoption of health-protective behaviour by individuals in alignment with these interventions, although effective, is variable. Results: Evidence suggests that increases in perceived disease severity, disease susceptibility and intervention efficacy correlate with the adoption of protective behaviours. Additionally, external cues from select, credible sources promote behavioural adoption whilst barriers to behavioural change, such as the opportunity cost faced by the employed, dissuade adoption. Lastly, demographic and socioeconomic factors play a role with men, the young, those with lower educational status and those less socially connected being less likely to adopt protective behaviours. Conclusion: For health authorities, an understanding of these correlates can better inform efforts to increase adherence to NPIs and stem novel viral transmission. Approaches such as risk personalisation, the communication of evidence-based effects of interventions and education regarding lesserused behaviours (e.g., mask-wearing) are discussed. Also highlighted is the importance of consistent communication via local actors such as General Practitioners and the role of multilevel social networks. Lastly, the need for tailored efforts to enhance protective behaviour adoption in specific sub-populations is considered. Keywords:Behaviour, COVID-19, Health belief model, PreventativeView:PDF (278.48 KB)
Highlights
Health authorities across the world have implemented non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as social distancing measures and hand hygiene campaigns in response to COVID-19
NPIs are effective tools to help combat the spread of novel viruses such as COVID-19
The difficulty remains on how to ensure that protective behaviours are adopted by a sufficient proportion of the population in order to meaningfully stem viral transmission
Summary
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 11th March 2020.1 Within 11 weeks, nearly 6 million cases were reported globally. In a Dutch stated-preference study, 29% reported being doubtful and 11% reported being unable to change their behaviour to prevent infection.[5] An American stated-preference survey found teachers “expressed the lowest confidence for [interventions] furthest from their usual behaviour” with low confidence NPIs including mask-wearing and taking student’s temperatures.[17] Parents surveyed as part of the same study reflected this sentiment by having the most confidence in teacher’s abilities to perform good hand-hygiene and send sick students home and less confidence in teacher’s abilities to screen students for symptoms.[17] Together, these results suggest less perceived self-efficacy in behaviours further from normal behaviours The takeaways from these results for a health authority are twofold. 35% of respondents reported they would stay at home in accordance with government advice and in contradiction
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