scholarly journals Social distancing in America: Understanding long-term adherence to COVID-19 mitigation recommendations

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0257945
Author(s):  
Christopher P. Reinders Folmer ◽  
Megan A. Brownlee ◽  
Adam D. Fine ◽  
Emmeke B. Kooistra ◽  
Malouke E. Kuiper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Norms ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Practical Capacity ◽  
Major Factors

A crucial question in the governance of infectious disease outbreaks is how to ensure that people continue to adhere to mitigation measures for the longer duration. The present paper examines this question by means of a set of cross-sectional studies conducted in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, in May, June, and July of 2020. Using stratified samples that mimic the demographic characteristics of the U.S. population, it seeks to understand to what extent Americans continued to adhere to social distancing measures in the period after the first lockdown ended. Moreover, it seeks to uncover which variables sustained (or undermined) adherence across this period. For this purpose, we examined a broad range of factors, relating to people’s (1) knowledge and understanding of the mitigation measures, (2) perceptions of their costs and benefits, (3) perceptions of legitimacy and procedural justice, (4) personal factors, (5) social environment, and (6) practical circumstances. Our findings reveal that adherence was chiefly shaped by three major factors: respondents adhered more when they (a) had greater practical capacity to adhere, (b) morally agreed more with the measures, and (c) perceived the virus as a more severe health threat. Adherence was shaped to a lesser extent by impulsivity, knowledge of social distancing measures, opportunities for violating, personal costs, and descriptive social norms. The results also reveal, however, that adherence declined across this period, which was partly explained by changes in people’s moral alignment, threat perceptions, knowledge, and perceived social norms. These findings show that adherence originates from a broad range of factors that develop dynamically across time. Practically these insights help to improve pandemic governance, as well as contributing theoretically to the study of compliance and the way that rules come to shape behavior.

scholarly journals Social Distancing in America: Understanding Long-term Adherence to Covid-19 Mitigation Recommendations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Reinders Folmer ◽  
Megan Brownlee ◽  
Adam Fine ◽  
Malouke Esra Kuiper ◽  
Elke Olthuis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Situational Influences ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Practical Capacity ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Motivational Influences

A crucial question in the governance of infectious disease outbreaks is how to ensure that people continue to adhere to mitigation measures for the longer duration of the pandemic. The present paper examines this question by means of a nationally representative cross-sectional set of studies conducted in the United States in May, June, and July 2020. It seeks to understand to what extent Americans continued to adhere to social distancing measures in the period after the first lockdown ended during the first wave of COVID-19. Moreover, it seeks to uncover which situational and motivational variables sustained (or undermined) adherence. Our findings reveal a mix of situational and motivational variables that contributed to adherence in the period after the first lockdown: individuals’ knowledge of social distancing measures, their practical capacity to adhere to them, their opportunities for not doing so, and their impulsivity (situational influences), as well as their moral alignment with mitigation measures against the virus, perceptions of its health threat, and perceived norms for adherence in their community (motivational influences). The results also reveal, however, that adherence among Americans declined during this period, as did important situational and motivational processes that sustained this. The findings show that adherence does not just originate in motivations and that situational variables play a central role. Moreover, they show that adherence is dynamic, as the core variables that sustain can change over a short period of time. These insights help to advance understanding of pandemic governance, as well as illuminating the interaction between rules and human conduct and compliance more generally. Moreover, they identify important avenues for policy to promote and sustain adherence to mitigation measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and in future outbreaks.

scholarly journals Compliance with COVID-19 Mitigation Measures in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin van Rooij ◽  
Anne Leonore de Bruijn ◽  
Christopher Reinders Folmer ◽  
Emmeke Barbara Kooistra ◽  
Malouke Esra Kuiper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Norms ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Intrinsic Motivations ◽  
Fundamental Shift

The COVID-19 mitigation measures require a fundamental shift in human behavior. The present study assesses what factors influence Americans to comply with the stay at home and social distancing measures. It analyzes data from an online survey, conducted on April 3, 2020, of 570 participants from 35 states that have adopted such measures. The results show that while perceptual deterrence was not associated with compliance, people actually comply less when they fear the authorities. Further, two broad processes promote compliance. First, compliance depended on people’s capacity to obey the rules, opportunity to break the rules, and self-control. As such, compliance results from their own personal abilities and the context in which they live. Second, compliance depended on people’s intrinsic motivations, including substantive moral support and social norms. This paper discusses the implications of these findings for ensuring compliance to effectively mitigate the virus.

scholarly journals COVID-19: Examining the case growth-rate due to Visitor vs Local Mobility using Machine Learning: A Study in the United States

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
satya katragadda ◽  
ravi teja bhupatiraju ◽  
vijay raghavan ◽  
ziad ashkar ◽  
raju gottumukkala
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Machine Learning ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mobile Phone Data ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Local Mobility ◽  
Local Risk ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Travel patterns of humans play a major part in the spread of infectious diseases. This was evident in the geographical spread of COVID-19 in the United States. However, the impact of this mobility and the transmission of the virus due to local travel, compared to the population traveling across state boundaries, is unknown. This study evaluates the impact of local vs. visitor mobility in understanding the growth in the number of cases for infectious disease outbreaks. Methods: We use two different mobility metrics, namely the local risk and visitor risk extracted from trip data generated from anonymized mobile phone data across all 50 states in the United States. We analyzed the impact of just using local trips on infection spread and infection risk potential generated from visitors' trips from various other states. We used the Diebold-Mariano test to compare across three machine learning models. Finally, we compared the performance of models, including visitor mobility for all the three waves in the United States and across all 50 states. Results: We observe that visitor mobility impacts case growth and that including visitor mobility in forecasting the number of COVID-19 cases improves prediction accuracy by 34. We found the statistical significance with respect to the performance improvement resulting from including visitor mobility using the Diebold-Mariano test. We also observe that the significance was much higher during the first peak March to June 2020. Conclusion: With presence of cases everywhere (i.e. local and visitor), visitor mobility (even within the country) is shown to have significant impact on growth in number of cases. While it is not possible to account for other factors such as the impact of interventions, and differences in local mobility and visitor mobility, we find that these observations can be used to plan for both reopening and limiting visitors from regions where there are high number of cases.

scholarly journals Medical mistrust in the context of Ebola: Implications for intended care-seeking and quarantine policy support in the United States

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie A Earnshaw ◽  
Laura M Bogart ◽  
Michael Klompas ◽  
Ingrid T Katz
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The United States ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Medical Mistrust ◽  
Care Seeking ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Conspiracy Beliefs ◽  
Potential Impact

This investigation explores Ebola conspiracy beliefs, a form of medical mistrust, and their potential impact on health behavior. Results of an online survey in the United States in December 2014 demonstrated that 16 percent of 202 participants held conspiracy beliefs. Participants who were less knowledgeable about Ebola, more mistrustful of medical organizations, and more xenophobic more strongly endorsed conspiracy beliefs. Participants who more strongly endorsed conspiracy beliefs reported that they would be less likely to seek care for Ebola and were less supportive of quarantining people returning from West Africa. Results suggest that medical mistrust may influence health behaviors during infectious disease outbreaks.

scholarly journals Sample Size Calculations for Variant Surveillance in the Presence of Biological and Systematic Biases

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirlee Wohl ◽  
Elizabeth C Lee ◽  
Bethany L DiPrete ◽  
Justin Lessler
Keyword(s):  
Sample Size ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Sample Sizes ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Continuous Sampling ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Sample Size Calculations ◽  
Surveillance Programs ◽  
Systematic Biases ◽  
Pathogen Genome

As demonstrated during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, detecting and tracking the emergence and spread of pathogen variants is an important component of monitoring infectious disease outbreaks. Pathogen genome sequencing has emerged as the primary tool for variant characterization, so it is important to consider the number of sequences needed when designing surveillance programs or studies, both to ensure accurate conclusions and to optimize use of limited resources. However, current approaches to calculating sample size for variant monitoring often do not account for the biological and logistical processes that can bias which infections are detected and which samples are ultimately selected for sequencing. In this manuscript, we introduce a framework that models the full process from infection detection to variant characterization and demonstrate how to use this framework to calculate appropriate sample sizes for sequencing-based surveillance studies. We consider both cross-sectional and continuous sampling, and we have implemented our method in a publicly available tool that allows users to estimate necessary sample sizes given a specific aim (e.g., variant detection or measuring variant prevalence) and sampling method. Our framework is designed to be easy to use, while also flexible enough to be adapted to other pathogens and surveillance scenarios.

scholarly journals Mask Wearing and Control of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Rader ◽  
Laura F White ◽  
Michael R Burns ◽  
Jack Chen ◽  
Joe Brilliant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Reproductive Number ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Transmission Control ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Distancing

Introduction: Cloth face coverings and surgical masks have become commonplace across the United States in response to the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic. While evidence suggests masks help curb the spread of respiratory pathogens, population level, empirical research remains limited. Face masks have quickly become a topic of public debate as government mandates have started requiring their use. Here we investigate the association between self-reported mask wearing, social distancing and community SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the United States, as well as the effect of statewide mandates on mask uptake. Methods: Serial cross-sectional surveys were administered June 3 through July 27, 2020 via a web platform. Surveys queried individuals' likelihood to wear a face mask to the grocery store or with family and friends. Responses (N = 378,207) were aggregated by week and state and combined with measures of the instantaneous reproductive number (Rt), social distancing proxies, respondent demographics and other potential sources of confounding. We fit multivariate logistic regression models to estimate the association between mask wearing and community transmission control (Rt <1) for each state and week. Multiple sensitivity analyses were considered to corroborate findings across mask wearing definitions, Rt estimators and data sources. Additionally, mask wearing in 12 states was evaluated two weeks before and after statewide mandates. Results: We find an increasing trend in mask usage across the U.S., although uptake varies by geography and demographic groups. A multivariate logistic model controlling for social distancing and other variables found a 10% increase in mask wearing was associated with a 3.53 (95% CI: 2.03, 6.43) odds of transmission control (Rt <1). We also find that communities with high mask wearing and social distancing have the highest predicted probability of a controlled epidemic. These positive associations were maintained across sensitivity analyses. Following state mandates, mask wearing did not show significant statistical changes in uptake, however the positive trend of increased mask wearing over time was preserved. Conclusion: Widespread utilization of face masks combined with social distancing increases the odds of SARS-CoV-2 transmission control. Mask wearing rose separately from government mask mandates, suggesting supplemental public health interventions are needed to maximize mask adoption and disrupt the spread of SARS-CoV-2, especially as social distancing measures are relaxed.

scholarly journals Gender Discrepancies in SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Related Beliefs, Attitudes, and Practices

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bethann Mangel Pflugeisen ◽  
Jin Mou
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Health Campaigns ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Community Healthcare ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Chi Squared ◽  
Public Health Campaigns

Objectives: International studies suggest that males may be less likely to adhere to SARS-CoV-2 transmission mitigation efforts than females. However, there is a paucity of research in this field in the United States. The primary aim of this study was to explore the relationship of binary gender identity (female/male) with beliefs, attitudes, and pandemic-related practices in the early stages of the pandemic.Methods: This study is based on a cross-sectional, voluntary response survey. Patients who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 between March 5 and June 7, 2020 were invited to participate. All patients were tested within a large community healthcare system that serves patients through eight hospitals and hundreds of clinics across Washington State. Bivariate associations between gender and various demographics were tested using Chi-squared and Student's t-tests. We examined associations between gender and pandemic-related beliefs, attitudes, and practices using multivariable logistic regression, accounting for potential confounding factors.Results: Females were more likely than males to agree that they (aOR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.14–2.00) or their families (aOR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.31–2.33) were threatened by SARS-CoV-2, or that their own behavior could impact transmission (aOR = 2.17, 95% CI 1.49–3.15). Similarly, females were more likely to agree that social distancing (aOR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.19–2.46), handwashing (aOR = 3.27, 95% CI 2.06–5.21), and masking (aOR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.02–1.94) were necessary to slow SARS-CoV-2 spread. Females were significantly less likely to visit outside of their social distancing circle (aOR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.47–0.81), but among those who did, practices of social distancing (aOR = 1.41, 95% CI 0.89–2.23), remaining outdoors (aOR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.56–1.40), and masking (aOR = 1.19, 95% CI 0.74–1.93) were comparable to males, while females practiced handwashing more than males (aOR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.33–3.34).Conclusions: Our study suggests that gender disparate beliefs, attitudes, and practices existed in the early stages of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Efforts should be tailored to encourage males to engage with mitigation efforts in ongoing pandemic-related public health campaigns.

scholarly journals Identifying airborne transmission as the dominant route for the spread of COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (26) ◽  
pp. 14857-14863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renyi Zhang ◽  
Yixin Li ◽  
Annie L. Zhang ◽  
Yuan Wang ◽  
Mario J. Molina
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
York City ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Protective Measure ◽  
Airborne Transmission ◽  
Social Distancing

Various mitigation measures have been implemented to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, including widely adopted social distancing and mandated face covering. However, assessing the effectiveness of those intervention practices hinges on the understanding of virus transmission, which remains uncertain. Here we show that airborne transmission is highly virulent and represents the dominant route to spread the disease. By analyzing the trend and mitigation measures in Wuhan, China, Italy, and New York City, from January 23 to May 9, 2020, we illustrate that the impacts of mitigation measures are discernable from the trends of the pandemic. Our analysis reveals that the difference with and without mandated face covering represents the determinant in shaping the pandemic trends in the three epicenters. This protective measure alone significantly reduced the number of infections, that is, by over 75,000 in Italy from April 6 to May 9 and over 66,000 in New York City from April 17 to May 9. Other mitigation measures, such as social distancing implemented in the United States, are insufficient by themselves in protecting the public. We conclude that wearing of face masks in public corresponds to the most effective means to prevent interhuman transmission, and this inexpensive practice, in conjunction with simultaneous social distancing, quarantine, and contact tracing, represents the most likely fighting opportunity to stop the COVID-19 pandemic. Our work also highlights the fact that sound science is essential in decision-making for the current and future public health pandemics.

Factors that influence suffered of Low Back Pain (LBP) in MRI examination patients in Hospitals Semarang City

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sri Mulyati ◽  
Rini Indrati ◽  
Yeti Kartikasari ◽  
Jeffri Ardiyanto
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
The United States ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Exercise Habits ◽  
Mri Examination ◽  
Work Duration

Low back pain can be caused by a variety of musculosceletal diseases, psychological disorders and mobilization. Patients who performed MRI examinations were mostly caused by indications of Low Back Pain (LBP). LBP became an important problem in the United States, in Indonesia an estimated 40% of the population of Central Java aged over 65 years have suffered from low back pain, the prevalence in men is 18.2% and in women is 13.6%.  In recent years, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used widely, including for diagnosis of LBP. This study aims to identify factors that affect the suffered of low back pain in patients undergoing an MRI examination which consists of personal factors covering : age, habits, smoking  exercise habits, height, obesity, and work factors (tenure, work duration). The research categorize as a quantitative research with cross-sectional design. This study used a sample of all cases of MRI examination with complaints of low back pain as many as 60 patients. Statistical tests using chi square and non-parametric Mann Whitney tests. From the results of the study found that those who suffer  of LBP are mostly from personal factors covering :  men, have jobs that have more burden (weight), more at the age of ≥ 35 years, no smoking, no exercise, height ≥ 163 cm, overweight / obesity, with tenure of ≥ 10 years, with a work duration ≥ 8 hours a day, and type of LBP suffered in the chronic categorized. The factors that caused LBP in this study were personal factors in the most dominant sequence is caused by age, smoking habits, exercise habits, height, BMI, tenure and work duration and type of LBP chronik.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document