Perceptions and practice of personal protective behaviors to prevent COVID-19 transmission in the G7
nations
nations
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Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Introduction:
To combat the transmission of COVID-19, countries have endorsed a series of non-pharmaceutical measures. We evaluated the practice and perceptions of personal protective measures and social distancing across the G7 countries.
Methods:
Data were collected during 19–21 March 2020, from 7005 of Kantar’s online panelists aged >16 years across the G7 countries: Canada, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States. Data were post-stratified and weighted to match population distributions of the respective countries. Descriptive and multivariable analyses were conducted in late March 2020.
Results:
Males (vs females) and those less educated (vs college graduates) were less likely to practice personal protective measures and social distancing. Younger adults were also less likely to practice social distancing (vs adults >65 years old). Respondents who expressed concern about the impact of COVID-19 on their health, income or education had higher odds of practicing personal protective measures (AOR=2.81, 1.74, and 1.54, respectively) and social distancing (AOR=3.18, 1.68, and 1.89, respectively) compared to those who did not. Those who perceived precautionary measures as highly effective were also more likely to practice personal protective measures (AOR=2.05) and social distancing (AOR=3.99) compared to those who perceived them as ineffective.
Conclusions:
Concerns about COVID-19 and perceived effectiveness of precautionary measures strongly predict practice of protective measures, regardless of the types of behaviors. Population-wide interventions should focus on ensuring increased adherence and tailoring communications to groups that are less likely to practice protective behaviors.
To combat the transmission of COVID-19, countries have endorsed a series of non-pharmaceutical measures. We evaluated the practice and perceptions of personal protective measures and social distancing across the G7 countries.
Methods:
Data were collected during 19–21 March 2020, from 7005 of Kantar’s online panelists aged >16 years across the G7 countries: Canada, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States. Data were post-stratified and weighted to match population distributions of the respective countries. Descriptive and multivariable analyses were conducted in late March 2020.
Results:
Males (vs females) and those less educated (vs college graduates) were less likely to practice personal protective measures and social distancing. Younger adults were also less likely to practice social distancing (vs adults >65 years old). Respondents who expressed concern about the impact of COVID-19 on their health, income or education had higher odds of practicing personal protective measures (AOR=2.81, 1.74, and 1.54, respectively) and social distancing (AOR=3.18, 1.68, and 1.89, respectively) compared to those who did not. Those who perceived precautionary measures as highly effective were also more likely to practice personal protective measures (AOR=2.05) and social distancing (AOR=3.99) compared to those who perceived them as ineffective.
Conclusions:
Concerns about COVID-19 and perceived effectiveness of precautionary measures strongly predict practice of protective measures, regardless of the types of behaviors. Population-wide interventions should focus on ensuring increased adherence and tailoring communications to groups that are less likely to practice protective behaviors.
Date Acceptance
2020-06-09
Citation
Population Medicine, 2 (June)
ISSN
2654-1459
Publisher
E.U. European Publishing
Journal / Book Title
Population Medicine
Volume
2
Issue
June
Copyright Statement
© 2020 Vardavas C. I. et al. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non
Commercial 4.0 International License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0)
Commercial 4.0 International License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0)
License URL
Identifier
http://www.populationmedicine.eu/Perceptions-and-practice-of-personal-protective-behaviors-to-prevent-COVID-19-transmission,123821,0,2.html
Publication Status
Published online
Date Publish Online
2020-06-19