Precautionary Behavior Research Articles

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding COVID-19 and mental health status among college students in China: a cross-sectional study.

During the prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), little was known about the knowledge, attitudes, practices (KAP) about COVID-19 and psychological status of college students in minority areas. This study aimed to evaluate the KAP of college students in minority areas of China toward COVID-19 and to provide a scientific basis for health education and policy formulation. From October 28th to November 6th, 2021, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 5,272 college students to examine KAP and its effects on mental health. Regarding COVID-19 knowledge, the overall awareness rate was 24.11% (1,271). Regarding health attitudes, most students had positive attitudes about COVID-19 prevention and control (94.95%), and females had higher positive attitudes than males (OR: 1.920; CI: 1.494-2.469). Regarding preventive behaviors, more than half of the students took preventive measures (53.48%), and freshmen had the highest health behavior scores. In terms of psychological status, there were fewer females with depression and stress than males. College students in minority areas have positive health attitudes; however, their knowledge of COVID-19 prevention and control is low. Moreover, their precautionary behaviors are insufficient, and they have many negative emotions.

Social and Health Beliefs Related to College Students' COVID-19 Preventive Behavior.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection prevention behaviors vary from individual to individual, and it is necessary to identify factors related to such behaviors. This study investigated how college students' social beliefs and health beliefs are related to their adherence to COVID-19 precautionary behaviors. An online survey was conducted among 200 Korean college students from 4 March to 30 June 2022. The variables associated with COVID-19 precautionary behaviors were evaluated, with social beliefs as the independent variable, health beliefs as the mediating variable, and COVID-19 precautionary behaviors as the dependent variable. A correlation analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed. The model fit was as follows: χ2/degrees of freedom = 1.64 (p < 0.001), Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.92, comparative fit index = 0.93, standardized root mean square residual = 0.06, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.06. Social complexity, as perceived by college students, was related to COVID-19 precautionary behaviors through mediating health beliefs (perceived benefits). To increase college students' compliance with COVID-19 precautionary behaviors, it is necessary to identify social beliefs and accordingly propose interventions that focus on personal health beliefs.

Assessment of implicit COVID-19 attitudes using affective priming for pro-vaccine and vaccine-hesitant individuals.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the introduction of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions such as precautionary behaviours. The current study used affective priming to evaluate COVID-19 attitudes in vaccine-hesitant and pro-vaccine participants. Explicitly, both groups rated their overall perception of risk associated with contracting COVID-19 significantly lower compared to their perception of necessary precautions and overall adherence to public health measures. Pro-vaccine participants rated their perception of necessary precautions higher compared to vaccine-hesitant participants. During baseline measures, both groups classified COVID-19 affiliated words as unpleasant. Affective priming was observed for congruent prime-target pleasant and unpleasant word pairs but was not observed for COVID-19 related word pairs. Differences between groups in the perception of necessary public health precautions points to different underlying pathways for reduced perceived risk and lack of affective priming. These results refine previous findings indicating that implicit attitudes towards COVID-19 can be measured using the affective priming paradigm.

Gender differences in unsafety perception and precautionary behaviour among adolescents: Case study of a small peripheral town in Slovakia

Abstract The aim of this study is to question gender stereotypes regarding differences in the unsafety perceptions and perceived threats of adolescents, with a special emphasis on their precautionary behaviour. This research was based on emotional mapping in the very small peripheral town of Fiľakovo (Slovakia). Altogether, 151 adolescents in the age of 10–16 years were asked to mark places where did not feel safe, along with perceived threats, as well as information on precautionary strategies they use there. Regardless of the time of day, neither girls nor boys felt significantly less safe, with residential location and age playing a more important role in unsafety perception differences than gender. Girls perceived significantly more people-related threats than boys (regardless of daylight), while boys were aware of significantly more risk in buildings, streets, and places with negative associations (after dark). Avoidance, dependence, and self-reliant precautionary behaviours were identified. Regardless of daylight, girls chose dependence (e.g. calling someone, having a companion) among other types of precautionary behaviour significantly more often than boys. Avoidance and self-reliance were gender neutral. The perception of girls as perceiving more risks and being more avoidant is showed to be a form of gender stereotype and should not be considered a generally valid paradigm.

Monetary policy uncertainty and corporate cash holdings: Evidence from China

This paper empirically explores the effect of monetary policy uncertainty on corporate cash holdings in China. We find robust evidence that monetary policy uncertainty is positively related to corporate cash holdings. The firms’ precautionary behavior in cash holdings is chiefly attributed to the increase in financial frictions rather than the reduction in corporate investments. The promoting effect of monetary policy uncertainty on cash holdings is more pronounced among firms with more severe financial constraints, firms with higher dependence on external finance, firms with worse access to bank financing, and non-SOEs, and during the period of monetary policy tightening. Our study suggests that firms hold more cash to cushion potential liquidity shortfalls induced by the increase in monetary policy uncertainty.

The Interplay of Social, Emotional and Cognitive Factors of Risk Perception and Engagement in Precautionary Behaviours during COVID-19 Lockdown (4.0) in India

Global health authorities are trying to identify factors that influence people’s behavioural patterns to engage in preventive measures against COVID-19. The study examines the predictors of precautionary behaviours following the socio-emotional-cognitive risk perception model and presents a descriptive picture of people’s risk perception and precautionary behaviours during the COVID-19 lockdown in India. Around 203 participants in the age group of 18–67 years living in different covid active zones of India completed the online survey. Indian participants reported high engagement in various precautionary behaviours, with a high level of awareness and risk perception towards the diseases. Participants also expressed moderate to high level of worry towards the pandemic, with a moderate level of trust in the government’s ability to fight the pandemic. Further, a significant positive relationship was observed between risk severity, perceived personal risk impact, and anxiety towards the pandemic, and between awareness and engagement in precautionary behaviours. Additionally, only cognitive factors of risk perception (e.g., perceived psychological invulnerability and awareness about diseases) were found to be significant predictors for engagement in precautionary behaviours. Therefore, the present study emphasises how health agencies should create risk messages that increase people’s estimation of personal risk and knowledge towards the virus.

Health Literacy Status and Preventive Behavioral Perception of Dental Patients Regarding COVID-19 Pandemic in Selected Tertiary Hospitals of Bangladesh

Background: COVID-19 has declared a public health emergency as a global crisis. In this situation dental patients are at high risk because of direct person to person transmission. Dental treatment requires very close contact elsewhere there are some other factors such as waiting room, ventilation system of hospital, gathering and so on which make the condition more critical. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the health literacy status and preventive behavioral perception of dental patients regarding the COVID-19. Methods: Data were collected from total 342 respondents by self-administered semi-structured questionnaire and face to face interview was conducted. Systematic random sampling was done in Dhaka Dental College Hospital and Chattogram International Dental College Hospital during data collection. Informed written consent was taken from each participants. Frequencies, percentages, charts, and diagrams were used to present the analysis, which was carried out using SPSS. Results: In this study, majority of dental patients were within 25-34 years age. Mean (±SD) age was 36(±13.32) years. Maximum patients (85.1%) had more accurate health literacy related perception regarding COVID-19 and there were significant association between educational status, occupational status of the dental patients and their health literacy status (p &lt;0.05) regarding COVID-19. More than 80% patients were aware about preventive aspects of COVID-19 and had good preventive behavior related perception but they expressed that it was not possible to maintain every precautionary behavior in reality. About 53.8% agreed staying at home would play a significant role in preventing COVID-19 but a big portion disagreed with this. Approximately 15% disagreed with the issue that keeping a physical distance in public places and avoiding social events reduces the spread of novel corona viruses. Conclusion: In this study a significant portion of good health literacy related and preventive behavioral perception of dental patients regarding COVID-19 was recorded. However a comprehensive awareness-raising program should be continued to hold this optimistic perception and inspire them to practice this perception in reality. Bangladesh Medical Res Counc Bull 2022; 48(3): 236-243

Fear of Travelling after Covid-19, the Moderation Effect of Social Distancing

COVID-19 has caused unparalleled public dread, which will most certainly impede tourist business recovery once the epidemic is gone. This research investigates the causes of the general public's epidemic travel anxiety, as well as how individuals impose self-protection, coping, and resilience with travel. The study blends theories such as protection motive theory, coping theory, and resilience theory to achieve the research goal. The primary data came from an online poll of 322 Southeast Asian travelers. According to the findings, the magnitude and vulnerability of the danger might induce "travel dread," which leads to protection motivation and precautionary travel behaviors during the pandemic. The findings also demonstrate that social distancing has memory consequences. In other words, individuals who willingly engaged in social separation during the pandemic are more likely to continue doing so in the post-COVID period since their long-term behavior has been influenced.&#x0D; &#x0D;

Media Consumption and COVID-19-Related Precautionary Behaviors During the Early Pandemic: Survey Study of Older Adults.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, media sources dedicated significant time and resources to improve knowledge of COVID-19 precautionary behaviors (eg, wearing a mask). Many older adults report using the television, radio, print newspapers, or web-based sources to get information on political news, yet little is known about whether consuming news in the early phase of the pandemic led to behavior change, particularly in older adults. The goals of this study were to determine (1) whether dosage of news consumption on the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with COVID-19 precautionary behaviors; (2) whether being an ever-user of social media was associated with engagement in COVID-19 precautionary behaviors; and (3) among social media users, whether change in social media use during the early stages of the pandemic was associated with engagement in COVID-19 precautionary behaviors. Data were obtained from a University of Florida-administered study conducted in May and June of 2020. Linear regression models were used to assess the association between traditional news and social media use on COVID-19 precautionary behaviors (eg, mask wearing, hand washing, and social distancing behaviors). Analyses were adjusted for demographic characteristics, including age, sex, marital status, and education level. In a sample of 1082 older adults (mean age 73, IQR 68-78 years; 615/1082, 56.8% female), reporting 0 and <1 hour per day of media consumption, relative to >3 hours per day, was associated with lower engagement in COVID-19 precautionary behaviors in models adjusted for demographic characteristics (β=-2.00; P<.001 and β=-.41; P=.01, respectively). In addition, increasing social media use (relative to unchanged use) was associated with engagement in more COVID-19 precautionary behaviors (β=.70, P<.001). No associations were found between being an ever-user of social media and engaging in COVID-19 precautionary behaviors. The results demonstrated an association between higher media consumption and greater engagement in COVID-19 precautionary behaviors in older adults. These findings suggest that media can be effectively used as a public health tool for communication of prevention strategies and best practices during future health threats, even among populations who are historically less engaged in certain types of media.

Victimization and Fear in National Parks: That’s My Parking Spot!

ABSTRACT Recently, national parks have experienced record-breaking crowds. However, little is known about victimization, fear, or precautionary behaviors within these spaces. Based on a survey of 1,500 park visitors, the most common forms of victimization were verbal assault and theft. Park visitors experiencing victimization had increased odds of being fearful, considering crime, and staying longer in parks. Similarly, those reporting higher levels of fear of crime were more likely to take safety precautions, consider crime, have experienced victimization in a national park, and spend less time in the park. Policy implications as it relates to crime and national parks are discussed.

"You can't wash your hands in a house without running water": pandemic precautionary behaviors after Hurricane Laura.

Hurricane Laura made landfall in southwestern Louisiana in August 2020 while the world was several months into the COVID-19 pandemic. In the present research, we examined pandemic precautionary behaviors in a sample of adults who varied in exposure and damage due to Hurricane Laura, a destructive Category 4 hurricane. A total of 127 participants responded to an online survey that assessed pandemic worry and precautionary behaviors, hurricane exposure and damage, and health-related quality of life. We found that Hurricane Laura victims neglected pandemic precautionary behaviors at significantly higher levels in the weeks immediately following Hurricane Laura than did indirectly impacted control participants, although the two comparison groups did not differ in COVID-19 worry or adherence to precautionary pandemic behavior 14-22 months after Hurricane Laura made landfall. Older age was negatively correlated with COVID-19 worry prior to Hurricane Laura, which was unexpected given that older people in general were more vulnerable to COVID-19 by their membership in a high-risk group. Future directions for research on post-disaster vulnerabilities during a global pandemic are discussed.

Modeling Household Earthquake Hazard Adjustment Intentions: An Extension of the Protection Motivation Theory

While existing literature has explored how hazard experience, salience, and demographics characteristics shape threat appraisal and hazard adjustment intentions, this study expands on past studies by exploring how additional factors such as qualitative characteristics of the hazard, political ideology, and oil entanglements shape threat appraisals, coping appraisals, and adjustment intentions in response to a techna hazard. This study builds on protection motivation theory (PMT) to explore factors that shape Oklahomans’ intentions to adjust to induced seismicity using data collected from households (n=866) across 27 counties in Oklahoma that have experienced varying levels of seismic activity resulting from oil and gas exploration. Correlational analyses and structural equation modeling show that several variables not included in the original PMT, such as feelings of dread or negative emotions associated with earthquakes, are important predictors of intentions to adopt hazard adjustments. This study concludes with examining the effect of additional factors on adjustment intentions and risk perceptions that can help guide future earthquake risk management in identifying and taking appropriate actions that will stimulate precautionary behavior of private actors.

코로나19 유행에 대한 염려가 방역수칙 실천 및 일상생활 변화에 미치는 영향

The infection of COVID-19 gradually has increased in recent years and high degree of social distancing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been implementing. This study sought to identify demographic characteristics associated with concerns about COVID-19 and changes related to concerns. We selected data from the Community Health Survey Data on 2020. We conducted a frequency analysis to analyze demographic characteristics associated with concerns about COVID-19. In addition, we performed a survey logistic regression analysis to identify precautionary behaviors and daily life changes related to concerns about COVID-19. The concerns about COVID-19 are higher among women, the elderly, the Married, those who low education level, poor subjective health status(p.001). It was found that concerns about infection, death, criticism and economic damage have a significant influence on quarantine rules(precautionary behavior, social distancing, refrain from going out, washing hands and use of hand sanitizer) and daily life changes(physical activity, instant food intake, delivery food intake, drinking and smoking). This study suggests that concerns about COVID-19 are associated with precautionary behaviors and daily life changes. It is necessary to efficiently manage concerns about infectious disease in the future by considering the social environment factors identified in our study.

A cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitude, behaviour and preventive measures for COVID-19 infection in Lebanon.

The World Health Organization has often reiterated its recommendations for the prevention of COVID-19, however, the success of these measures largely depends on public knowledge and attitudes. This study assessed the relationship between knowledge, attitude, behaviour and preventive measures for COVID-19 infection in a Lebanese population. This cross-sectional study was conducted between September and October 2020 using the snowball sampling technique and an online self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire had 4 parts targeting sociodemographic characteristics; medical history; knowledge, attitude and practices (preventive measures and behaviours related to COVID-19); and mental health variables such as psychological distress. Two models were derived using multivariable binomial logistic regression to optimize the picture of COVID-19 correlates. Our sample comprised 1119 adults. Being older, female, a regular alcohol consumer, waterpipe smoker, having low level of education, low family income, and having contact with a COVID-19 patient correlated with increased odds of ever having been diagnosed with COVID-19. Participants who had ever been diagnosed with COVID-19 had a significantly better knowledge and a higher risky practice scale [adjusted odds ratio (ORa) = 1.49; 95% CI 1.27-1.74; P < 0.001; and ORa = 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.08; P = 0.024, respectively]. The most important predictors of COVID-19 infection appear to be generally well-known among the general population, however, their knowledge and adherence to preventive measures should be continuously re-evaluated. This study highlights the need for greater awareness to improve precautionary behaviours among the public.

A cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitude, behaviour and preventive measures for COVID-19 infection in Lebanon

Background: The World Health Organization has often reiterated its recommendations for the prevention of COVID-19, however, the success of these measures largely depends on public knowledge and attitudes. Aims: This study assessed the relationship between knowledge, attitude, behaviour and preventive measures for COVID-19 infection in a Lebanese population. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between September and October 2020 using the snowball sampling technique and an online self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire had 4 parts targeting sociodemographic characteristics; medical history; knowledge, attitude and practices (preventive measures and behaviours related to COVID-19); and mental health variables such as psychological distress. Two models were derived using multivariable binomial logistic regression to optimize the picture of COVID-19 correlates. Results: Our sample comprised 1119 adults. Being older, female, a regular alcohol consumer, waterpipe smoker, having low level of education, low family income, and having contact with a COVID-19 patient correlated with increased odds of ever having been diagnosed with COVID-19. Participants who had ever been diagnosed with COVID-19 had a significantly better knowledge and a higher risky practice scale [adjusted odds ratio (ORa) = 1.49; 95% CI 1.27–1.74; P &lt; 0.001; and ORa = 1.04; 95% CI 1.01–1.08; P = 0.024, respectively]. Conclusion: The most important predictors of COVID-19 infection appear to be generally well-known among the general population, however, their knowledge and adherence to preventive measures should be continuously re-evaluated. This study highlights the need for greater awareness to improve precautionary behaviours among the public.

Greater traditionalism predicts COVID-19 precautionary behaviors across 27 societies

People vary both in their embrace of their society’s traditions, and in their perception of hazards as salient and necessitating a response. Over evolutionary time, traditions have offered avenues for addressing hazards, plausibly resulting in linkages between orientations toward tradition and orientations toward danger. Emerging research documents connections between traditionalism and threat responsivity, including pathogen-avoidance motivations. Additionally, because hazard-mitigating behaviors can conflict with competing priorities, associations between traditionalism and pathogen avoidance may hinge on contextually contingent tradeoffs. The COVID-19 pandemic provides a real-world test of the posited relationship between traditionalism and hazard avoidance. Across 27 societies (N = 7844), we find that, in a majority of countries, individuals’ endorsement of tradition positively correlates with their adherence to costly COVID-19-avoidance behaviors; accounting for some of the conflicts that arise between public health precautions and other objectives further strengthens this evidence that traditionalism is associated with greater attention to hazards.

Tax Refund Uncertainty: Evidence and Welfare Implications

Transfers paid through annual tax refunds are a large but uncertain source of income for poor households. We document that low-income tax filers have substantial subjective uncertainty about these refunds. We investigate the determinants and consequences of refund uncertainty by linking survey, tax, and credit bureau data. On average, filers' expectations track realized refunds. More uncertain filers have larger differences between expected and realized refunds. Filers borrow in anticipation of their refunds, but more uncertain filers borrow less, consistent with precautionary behavior. A simple consumption-savings model suggests that refund uncertainty reduces the welfare benefits of the EITC by about 10 percent. (JEL D81, D83, D84, G51, H24)

COVID-19 precautionary behaviors and vaccine acceptance among older individuals: The role of close kin

The family plays a central role in shaping health behaviors of its members through social control and support mechanisms. We investigate whether and to what extent close kin (i.e., partner and children) matter for older people in taking on precautionary behaviors (e.g., wearing a mask) and vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. Drawing on data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), we combine its Corona Surveys (June to September 2020 and June to August 2021) with pre-COVID information (October 2019 to March 2020). We find that having close kin (especially a partner) is associated with a higher probability of both adopting precautionary behaviors and accepting a COVID-19 vaccine. Results are robust to controlling for other potential drivers of precautionary behaviors and vaccine acceptance and to accounting for coresidence with kin. Our findings suggest that policymakers and practitioners may differently address kinless individuals when promoting public policy measures.

A Precautionary Tale: Individual Decision Making in the Time of COVID-19.

Precaution taking is an important part of managing COVID-19 and has been since the start of the pandemic. Guided by the Health Belief Model, two studies conducted during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic aimed to identify possible individual difference predictors of precautionary actions. Study 1 was an online, cross-sectional study using 763 adults aged 20-79 years old. Study 2, a 30-day daily diary study, examined daily precautions in 261 persons over the age of 55 years old. Study 1 and Study 2 indicated that COVID-19 knowledge predicted precautionary behaviors. Multilevel models from Study 2 indicated that daily increases in in-person interactions and leaving home were associated with decreases in precautions, but increases in disruption to routine were associated with increases in precautions. In both studies, including concurrent and lagged models in Study 2, significant interactions between information seeking and perceived risk suggested higher information seeking was related to higher precautions for those who consider themselves low risk. Findings highlight the burden of daily precautions and potentially modifiable factors of engagement in precautions.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perception as Predictors of COVID-19 Safety Practices of Ride-Hailing Operators in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study

Since its outbreak, health authorities have launched vigorous COVID-19 health promotion campaigns. This study assesses ride-hailing operators' COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Ghana, with the aim of engendering precautionary behaviour among the populace. A complementary mixed methods approach was adopted. This involved a cross-sectional survey of 1014 participants who were also allowed to share their COVID-19-related lived experiences qualitatively after successfully completing the survey. The aggregate correct knowledge score was 84%. Most respondents were frightful of the virus (96%), but the majority had faith in the COVID-19 protocols (87%). Thus, most participants reported high use of face masks (95%) and practise personal hygiene (92%). However, social media misinformation and the subsequent complacency have dissuaded some participants from complying with the safety protocols. The qualitative data also show evidence of high susceptibility to COVID-19. The perceived benefits of safe behaviour, including masking up, were equally high among drivers surveyed, albeit barriers to preventative behaviours remain rife. Therefore, this study emphasises the importance of sustaining and improving public awareness by highlighting the susceptibility of all demographic groups to the virus and the need to counteract misinformation on social media.