Response Behavior, Emotional and Psychosocial Adjustment of Adults to Covid-19 Pandemic Health Protocols in Western Region of Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: Covid-19 has caused more than 700 deaths with more than 40 thousand infections in Kenya, by end mid October 2020. Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic contributes to unprecedented spread response behavior and emotional distress among people. The introduction of new health protocols has been a key factor in shaping new norm and psychological behavior, emotional response and adjustment. However, new behavior norms meant to curb spread of COVID-19 has not been without uncertainty. Therefore, the study seeks to establish Adults’ response behavior, emotional and psychological adjustment to COVID19 pandemic global health protocols as emphasized by health subsector in Kenya.Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, 251 adults living in Western region of Kenya completed a survey questionnaire to evaluate the response behavior, emotional response and psychosocial adjustment of adults to covid-19 pandemic health protocols in Western region of Kenya. The survey Questionnaires were districted to target adult participants using WhatsApp and e-mail address during the pandemic. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, and one-way ANOVA were employed to analyze data.Findings: Three tests were conducted and overall, the findings revealed insignificant difference between categorical variables (gender, level of education and occupation category and dependent variables (response behavior, emotional response and psychosocial adjustment of adults to COVID-19 health protocols. The results revealed statistically insignificant differences between; gender and response behavior (t (249) =.583, p ˃0.05), occupation categories and psychosocial adjustment to COVID-19 pandemic (F (3,247) = .516, p ˃0.05), and level of education and emotional responses to COVID-19 health protocols (F (3, 247) = 1.974, p ˃0.05).Unique Contribution to theory, practice and policy: These findings suggest that response behavior response, emotional response and psychosocial adjustment to COVID-19 health protocols do not differ with categorical variables of the adults. The focus therefore should be to work on response behavior, emotional response and psychosocial adjustment indiscriminately in order to help people adapt to the new behavior and norm to curb spread of COVID-19 pandemic.