COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors Research Articles

Metacognitions About Health and COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors: Experiential Avoidance and Coronavirus Anxiety as Mediators

Metacognitions About Health and COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors: Experiential Avoidance and Coronavirus Anxiety as Mediators

Compliance with World Health Organization COVID-19 preventive behaviors in rural counties in Western Kenya: a cross-sectional study.

the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended various measures to tackle COVID-19, and were adopted by many governments, targeting behavior change among citizens to lower the transmission. There was a paucity of data on the patterns of compliance with different measures within individuals and whether people adhere to all recommended measures or cautiously prefer few but not others. Understanding compliance behaviors and associated factors is important for developing interventions to increase compliance. cross-sectional study was conducted among adults in the western region of Kenya. A sample of 806 participants was selected using a stratified sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data from the participants. Compliance was assessed with six behaviors: hand sanitation, proper hygiene, no handshaking, social distancing, and other guidelines. Latent analysis was used to identify behavioral patterns. Descriptive statistics were used to assess demographic characteristics, in terms of frequency distribution, and percentages. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association between demographic characteristics and compliance level. compliance was highest for masking (85.3%), and was lowest for social distancing (60.2%). The majority of participants were found to be full compliers (class 1: 40.5%), there was an increased probability of full compliance among those aged between 18-30 years (OR= 1.042; 95% CI: 0.307-13.052, p < 0.040) compared to those aged ≥70. using facemasks had the highest rate of compliance, followed by hand sanitization and proper hygiene. However, overall, the findings showed that while compliance with some protocol behaviors is high, individuals comply consistently across recommended compliance behaviors.

The Impact of Educational Intervention Based on the Health Belief Model on Adopting COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors Among Clients of Urban Health Centers

The Impact of Educational Intervention Based on the Health Belief Model on Adopting COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors Among Clients of Urban Health Centers

Linking Health Consciousness and Social Media Information Seeking to College Students COVID-19 Prevention Behavior: Examining a Modified IMBP Model

Health consciousness and health information seeking have been conceptually and empirically linked. Few studies, however, have explored the implications this relationship has for driving specific health perceptions and behaviors. In a modified test of the integrated model of behavioral prediction (IMBP) we examine these two factors as health motivators helping explain COVID-19 judgements and prevention behaviors. Simple mediation tests show social media information seeking operating as a modest intervening factor between health consciousness and COVID-19 attitudes and perceived behavior control (PBC); however, health consciousness remains a robust, direct predictor of attitudes, PBC, and subjective norms. Finally, tests of the modified IMBP highlight norms, attitudes, and PBC mediating the relationship between both health consciousness and social media information seeking on COVID-19 prevention behaviors.

Trust in government moderates the association between fear of COVID-19 as well as empathic concern and preventive behaviour

With the COVID-19 pandemic, behavioural scientists aimed to illuminate reasons why people comply with (or not) large-scale cooperative activities. Here we investigated the motives that underlie support for COVID-19 preventive behaviours in a sample of 12,758 individuals from 34 countries. We hypothesized that the associations of empathic prosocial concern and fear of disease with support towards preventive COVID-19 behaviours would be moderated by trust in the government. Results suggest that the association between fear of disease and support for COVID-19 preventive behaviours was strongest when trust in the government was weak (both at individual- and country-level). Conversely, the association with empathic prosocial concern was strongest when trust in the government was high, but this moderation was only found at individual-level scores of governmental trust. We discuss how motivations may be shaped by socio-cultural context, and outline how findings may contribute to a better understanding of collective action during global crises.

Psychological influences on COVID-19 preventive behaviours and vaccination engagement in the United Kingdom and the United States: the significance of ethnicity

Two studies are reported here: a mapping review of literature on the effect of ethnicity on psychological influences upon COVID-19 responses, and a survey simultaneously undertaken in the United Kingdom and United States designed to examine ethnic differences in levels of, and in relationships between, identity resilience, social support, science trust, COVID-19 fear, COVID-19 risk and vaccination likelihood. The review found that very few studies during 2020–2021 examined the effect of ethnicity on the psychological influences on COVID-19 preventive behaviours. The survey study found that science trust, vaccine positivity, perceived risk, COVID-19 fear, identity resilience and social support account for roughly 50 per cent of the variability in COVID-19 vaccination likelihood. Ethnic categories report different levels of these influences but similarity in the way they interact. Taken together, the results indicate that a single model of psychological influences on vaccination decisions is applicable across ethnic categories.

Adaptation of the Information, Motivation, and Behavioral Skills Framework for Understanding COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors among Youth and Young Adults by Sexual Identity, Gender Identity and Race/Ethnicity

Youth and young adults (YYA) have been uniquely affected by COVID-19. Behavioral models have not yet been applied to understand YYA’s preventive behavior, though the Information–Motivation–Behavior (IMB) model may be appropriate. We used data from a national, diverse survey of COVID-19 effects and prevention behaviors in YYA ages 14–24 (n = 1026) and conducted an exploratory factor analysis and bivariate linear regressions to assess the association between demographics and IMB measures. Significant differences by sexual identity were identified, with bisexual/pansexual, gay/lesbian, and queer populations reporting significantly lower prevention stigma, in comparison to their straight respondents. Non-binary respondents (vs. women/girls) and transgender and gender diverse individuals (vs. cisgender) had significantly higher intentions to social distance. Racial/ethnicity differences were also found in lower prevention efficacy beliefs (Latinx and multiracial vs. white), and lower motivation norms (Black and Latinx vs. white). Our findings about critical disparities in IMB measures provide recommendations for future prevention research, practice, and policy development in response to the pandemic, particularly related to highly marginalized communities.

Associations of eHealth literacy and knowledge with preventive behaviours and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based online survey

ObjectivesTo compare the associations of COVID-19 preventive behaviours and depressive and anxiety symptoms with eHealth literacy and COVID-19 knowledge among Korean adults.DesignA cross-sectional online survey was conducted in April 2020.SettingSeoul...

Determine the factors that affected COVID-19 prevention behaviors based on constructs of social cognition theory

BackgroundCOVID-19 is a universal challenge and novel disease is one of the core public health concerns. This study aimed to determine the factors that affected COVID-19 prevention behaviors (CPB) based on constructs of Social Cognition Theory (SCT).MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 426 participants referred to health centers of Arak from October 2021 to February 2022, and they were selected through a multi-stage random sampling method. Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire which includes socio-demographic data (6 items), COVID-19 prevention behaviors (12 items), and SCT constructs related to COVID-19 (32 items). SPSS Ver-16 statistical software was used to analyze the data with one-way ANOVA, independent samples t-test, and multiple linear regressions. The significance level of α = 0.05 was considered for all tests.ResultsThe mean age was 37.8 years (SD = 12.2) and ranged from 17 to 81. According to the results, 51.2% had higher education and 52.6% of the participants were female. The mean (SD) of COVID-19 preventive behaviors was 43 (SD = 7.8) out of 60. There was statistical association between CPB and three constructs of SCT. Multiple regression showed that the outcomes expectations (β = 0.11, p < 0.001), self-regulation (β = 0.41, p < 0.001), and self-efficacy (β = 0.30, p < 0.001), age, gender, and history of COVID 19infection were associated with CPB and those described 61% of the variance of CPB.ConclusionRendering to the result of this study constructs of SCT is the key predictor of participants’ CPB. Hence, based on these predictors, effective interventions and healthy messages could be designed based on this predictor—outcomes expectations, self-regulation, social support, and self-efficacy which can be beneficial to improve healthy behavior.

The Effectiveness of Social Norm Appeals on Promoting COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors: A Multistudy Examination

ABSTRACT Recent research shows social norm perceptions predict people’s adherence to COVID-19 preventative health practices. Nonetheless, additional empirical studies are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of different types of social norm messages on behavioral outcomes with experimental designs. Guided by the social norm literature and frameworks, the current research addresses this need by examining the effects of descriptive and injunctive norm appeals promoting the practice of social distancing and mask-wearing with both a controlled experiment and social media campaigns. Results from this multistudy investigation showed the effectiveness of descriptive and injunctive norm messages (v. no message exposure) in promoting focal behaviors and highlighted the superiority of injunctive norm appeals in promoting behavioral intentions and increasing social media engagement. Theoretical implications and recommendations for practice are discussed.

Attentive immobility: Investigating the emotional-cognitive mechanism underlying conspiracy mentality and Covid-19 preventive behaviors.

While conspiracy theories have received extensive attention in the realm of misinformation, there has been limited research exploring the impact of conspiracy mentality on individuals' preventive behaviors during acute public health crises. This study investigates how conspiracy mentality may affect compliance with preventive health measures necessary to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and the underlying emotional and cognitive mediators. Data was collected through a survey among 1878 Chinese respondents at the conclusion of the pandemic. The results indicate that individuals with higher levels of conspiracy mentality are significantly less engaged in preventive behaviors. Furthermore, this correlation is mediated by a sequence of mediating factors, starting from anger leading to institutional distrust and fear leading to perceived risk. Conspiracists' response mode can be described as a state of "attentive immobility," in which the impact of heightened institutional distrust outweighs their perceptions of risk, ultimately reducing engagement in preventive behaviors during crises. These findings underscore the importance of debunking initiatives that aim to address and mitigate the negative consequences of conspiracy mentality by targeting the mediating psychological processes during future pandemic threats.

Behavioral Beliefs Predict Recommended Behaviors, Especially When Trust in Public Health Sources is Low: Evidence from a Longitudinal Study of Three COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors Among U.S. Adults

Public distrust in official sources of health information and uncertainty about novel guidelines may discourage engagement in recommended disease prevention practices. The current study tests the hypothesis that building confidence in positive behavioral outcomes may support recommendation following even in the context of low trust in recommendation sources. This set of longitudinal studies examines the main and interaction effects of trust in official sources and behavioral beliefs in their prediction of recommended COVID-19 prevention behaviors (facemask wearing, social distancing, vaccination). Repeated measurement data were collected from a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults in May/June 2020 (T1; n = 1074), July 2020 (T2; n = 889), and April/June 2021 (T3; n = 750). All five tests, using lagged linear regression, found negative interactions between trust and behavioral beliefs, as hypothesized; three were significant (T1-T2: facemask wearing B=-0.10, SE = 0.04; T1-T3: social distancing B=-0.20, SE = 0.06; T2-T3 vaccination B=-0.27, SE = 0.10) and two were consistent albeit not significant (T1-T3: social distancing B=-0.13, SE = 0.08; T1-T3: facemask wearing B=-0.11, SE = 0.06). Supporting hypotheses, trust in recommendation sources predicted behavior most among those who were less certain about behavioral outcomes and confidence in behavioral benefits predicted behavior most among those with low trust in recommendation sources. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Differential COVID-19 preventive behaviors among Asian subgroups in the United States

ABSTRACT Background Given the observed within-Asian disparity in COVID-19 incidence, we aimed to explore the differential preventive behaviors among Asian subgroups in the United States. Methods Based on data from the Asian subsample (N = 982) of the 2020 Health, Ethnicity, and Pandemic survey, we estimated the weighted proportion of noncompliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on preventive behaviors and COVID-19 testing by Asian subgroups (Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Other Asian). We examined these subgroup differences after adjusting for demographic factors and state-level clustering. Results Filipinos demonstrated the lowest rate of noncompliance for mask-wearing, social distancing, and handwashing. As compared with the Filipinos, our logistic models showed that the Chinese and the ‘other Asians’ subgroup had significantly higher risk of noncompliance with mask-wearing, while the Japanese, the Vietnamese, and other Asians were significantly more likely to report noncompliance with social distancing. Conclusions The significant variation of preventive behavior across Asian subgroups signals the necessity of data disaggregation when it comes to understanding the health behavior of Asian Americans, which is critical for future pandemic preparedness. The excess behavioral risk among certain Asian subgroups (especially those ‘other Asians’) warrants further investigation and interventions about the driving forces behind these disparities.

VALIDATION STUDY OF THE SPANISH VERSION OF THE PANDEMIC (COVID-19) ANXIETY TRAVEL SCALE IN PERU

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed tourists' thoughts, feelings and ways of travelling. In this regard, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Pandemic Anxiety Travel Scale (PATS) using CTT and IRT. A total of 454 participants, with a mean age of 31.4 years (SD = 15.7), completed the PATS, a sociodemographic questionnaire, a measure of perceived health risk, and the Preventive COVID-19 Infection Behaviors Scale. CFA models, Cronbach's alpha and the Composite Reliability Index coefficients were used to estimate reliability. In addition, Item Response Theory (IRT) methods were employed, specifically, the Graded Response Model. The results of the CFA indicated the presence of a single factor for the PATS and high reliability. The IRT results suggest that the PATS items may significantly differentiate responses based on trait level and that a person with low frequency of travel anxiety symptoms during the pandemic will tend to choose the lower response alternatives. Likewise, age, gender, health risk perception, and COVID-19 preventive behaviors significantly predict travel anxiety. In conclusion, the PATS is a brief and reliable measure that appears to be a valid measure of travel anxiety symptoms in the general Peruvian population during the pandemic.

Psychosocial determinants of adherence to COVID-19 preventive behaviors

Abstract Background Non-adherence to medical guidelines is associated with suboptimal health outcomes and increased healthcare costs, and yet adherence to preventive therapies is often difficult to achieve. Understanding which factors can improve adherence is a public health priority. In this study, we examined the association of psychosocial factors and adherence of preventive behaviors within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Panel data from the European COvid Survey (ECOS), a representative sample of residents aged 18+ from Germany, United Kingdom, Denmark, Netherlands, France, Portugal and Italy collected from April 2020 (wave 1) to May 2022 (wave 10) was used to examine trends and determinants of COVID-19 preventive behaviors (i.e., mask wearing, hand washing). Results With a total of 27,095 participants, 53.5% were female, and 15.9% were aged 18-24, 67.9% 25-64, and 16.3% 65+. The trends in adherence decreased over time except in wave 5 where a spike in adherence levels matched wave 1 levels and a surge in reported COVID-19 infections. In multivariable logistic regression models, worry about overloading the health system (OR = 1.26, 95%CI: 1.22-1.31), perceived risk to one's own health (OR = 1.13, 95%CI: 1.08-1.18) and others (OR = 1.16, 95%CI: 1.10-1.22), and trust in institutions (OR = 1.20, 95%CI: 1.12-1.26), traditional news media (OR = 1.05, 95%CI: 1.01-1.10), and health providers (OR = 1.31, 95%CI: 1.26-1.37) increased the likelihood of engaging in COVID-19 preventive behaviors. However, those with high trust in social media were less likely to follow prevention guidelines (OR = 0.78, 95%CI: 0.75-0.80). Conclusions Psychosocial factors (risk perceptions, worry, and trust variables) were associated with adhering to COVID-19 prevention guidelines. Findings that high trust in social media was related to low adherence suggests more research is needed to understand how public health can improve health communications via social media, a popular information resource. Key messages • Health risk perceptions and worry about overloading the health system were associated with adhering to COVID-19 prevention guidelines. • Trust in social media was related to low adherence to COVID-19 prevention guidelines.

Factors Related to the COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors of Adolescents: Focusing on Six Middle and High Schools in Korea.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the worst infectious disasters in human history. The best way to minimize COVID-19 transmission is to follow preventive measures. This study aimed to examine the factors influencing adolescents' COVID-19 prevention behaviors. The study was conducted online from 1 to 15 February 2023 with 196 adolescents aged between 13 and 18 years of age. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, the independent t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple hierarchical regression analysis. Adolescents' COVID-19 prevention behaviors were influenced by intrapersonal factors, such as knowledge of and attitudes toward COVID-19, and interpersonal factors, such as social support. Community and governmental factors had no impact. Public health education strategies should be planned to include friends and family members in programs for preventing new infectious diseases such as COVID-19 so that adolescents can learn and share what they have learned, correct wrong behavior, and understand and change infection prevention behavior. In addition, it is necessary to actively support the development of public health education with appropriate contents in accordance with the characteristics and preferences of adolescents.

COVID-19 preventive behaviors and digital health communication media usage model

COVID-19 preventive behaviors and digital health communication media usage model

Government Social Media Engagement and Health Perceptions During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Cross-Sectional Study

ABSTRACT Government social media (GSM) accounts were increasingly used by governments worldwide to support strategic crisis communication efforts during the global COVID-19 pandemic, particularly to influence people’s perceptions and behaviors. However, little is known about the potential connections between users’ engagement on GSM platforms and their own health perceptions regarding COVID-19 and related preventive behaviors. Adopting an interdisciplinary perspective and drawing on the Health Belief Model (HBM), the present study employed a survey research method to collect data from 2,163 Facebook followers of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) in Lebanon. The collected data was subsequently analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate Pearson’s correlation tests. The findings reveal a significant association between active information-seeking on the MoPH Facebook page and all HBM constructs (perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers), while passive exposure was associated with three of these constructs. GSM participation, including liking, commenting, and sharing, was significantly associated with perceived severity and benefits. These novel insights represent an initial step towards a deeper understanding of the purposeful and influential use of GSM during health crises. Theoretical contributions and policy implications are discussed in detail.

Perceived Effectiveness of COVID-19 Preventive Practices and Behavioral Intention: Survey of a Representative Adult Sample in the United States.

Using existing models of behavioral health promotion, specifically the Extended Parallel Process Model, previous research has identified factors that may impact engagement in preventive health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic such as perceived threat, perceived susceptibility to the threat, perceived severity, and perceived efficacy. This study aims to examine the role of perceived effectiveness of COVID-19 preventive behaviors, perceived susceptibility, perceived threat, and perceived severity of COVID-19 in participants' intentions to engage in Centers for Disease Control (CDC)-recommended individual health behaviors in the first year of the pandemic. In October 2020, a representative sample of 506 US adults completed a web-based survey through the RAND American Life Panel. The study primarily found that participants who perceived that CDC-recommended health practices were effective had stronger intentions to engage in those practices. The second strongest correlate was participants' perceived severity of COVID-19 across the United States. Perceived effectiveness of recommended practices accounted for the largest variance in behavioral intention. However, analysis of individual behaviors indicated a mismatch in the behaviors perceived to be the most effective (avoiding sick people and mask-wearing) and those participants indicated intention to engage in (throwing away used tissues, avoiding sick people, and coughing into their elbows) in the next 30 days. The authors recommend tailoring public health messaging to address the perceived threat of COVID-19 and self-efficacy. Thus, health promotion efforts should emphasize the effectiveness of CDC-recommended practices while highlighting the pandemic's severity. Additionally, rebuilding trust in public health messaging and messengers is necessary to increase perceived self-efficacy. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, health messaging must continue to promote and build trust in CDC-recommended health practices and educate regarding the efficacy of vaccination and other preventive behaviors.

20-30대의 COVID-19 예방행위에 미치는 영향요인: 2020년 지역사회건강조사 자료 활용한 분석

20-30대의 COVID-19 예방행위에 미치는 영향요인: 2020년 지역사회건강조사 자료 활용한 분석