Determinants of adherence to public health and social measures (PHSM) against COVID-19 among the general population in South Korea: A national survey (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyechong Hong ◽  
Hyeonkyeong Lee ◽  
Sukjeong Lee ◽  
Chang Gi Park ◽  
Mikyung Lee
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
General Population ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Primary Study ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Preventive Behaviors ◽  
Perceived Susceptibility ◽  
Perceived Severity

BACKGROUND Public health efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 are the priority of national policy to respond to it globally. The public health and social measures (PHSM) are shown to be effective when used alone or in combination with other measures, reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19. However, there is insufficient evidence on the status of compliance of PHSM in the general population for the prevention of COVID-19 in public areas, including Korea. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to assess the level of compliance with the recommended PHSM against COVID-19 infection and its predictors among the general population using national data. METHODS This study is a secondary data analysis using an Infectious Disease Prevention Behaviors in Community Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) between October 12 and October 30, 2020. The primary study was cross-sectional, using stratified sampling with an adjusted proportional allocation method to select representative samples and secure the stability of samples. The data were collected through a phone interview conducted by trained enumerators using a structured questionnaire. The PHSM was measured using a 10-item Comprehensive Infectious Disease Preventive Behavior(CIDPB) scale and each of the socio-cognitive factors, such as perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 infection, perceived severity of COVID-19 infection, perceived confidence in performing preventive behaviors related to COVID-19, information comprehensive ability, and trust in information from the KDCA, were measured by a single question. A total of 4,003 cases were included in the final analysis. A Tobit regression and decision tree were performed to identify the predictors of preventive measures and the targeted group for intervention. RESULTS We discovered that females had a 1.34 point higher CIDPB score than males (P<.001). The participants who were aged between 50 and 59 years performed 1.89 points higher on the CIDPB (P<.001) and the participants who were older than 60 years performed 2.48 points higher on the CIDPB (P<.001) than those who were aged between 19 and 29 years. The perceived severity of infection, confidence in preventive behaviors, information comprehensive ability, and trust in information from the KDCA were statistically significant and positive (P<.001). The perceived susceptibility to infection was statistically significant and negative (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Being female, older in age, having a lower income, and socio-cognitive factors were significant predictors for performing PHSM. These findings suggest a need for targeted intervention for these specific groups. Adequate government action and policy development are needed to increase the level of health literacy and trust in the healthcare system.

Spatial Distance to Epicenter, Risk Perceptions, and Preventive Behaviors Against Health Risks in the Initial Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diyi Liu ◽  
Sanmei Wen ◽  
Jing Su
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Spatial Distance ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Preventive Behaviors ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Perceived Susceptibility ◽  
Perceived Severity

BACKGROUND The rapid global spread of COVID-19 has become a monumental public health emergency. Gauging people’s psychological and behavioral reactions in an initial alerting stage is crucial for helping public health authorities to manage the epidemic. OBJECTIVE To investigate how spatial distance from the epicenter of Wuhan influenced people’s risk perceptions regarding COVID-19. Additionally, how risk perceptions, in concert with demographic variables, influenced the adoption of different preventive behaviors in the early stages of the outbreak. METHODS We conducted a national cross-sectional survey from January 21, 2020 to January 23, 2020. We assessed the association between spatial distance from the epicenter and participants’ risk perceptions using linear regression models. We used binomial logistic regression models to calculate the determinants of the adoption of six preventive behaviors against COVID-19. RESULTS Our data contain 1988 valid responses from 31 provinces in mainland China; 28.2% of respondants resided in Hubei province (n=560). Participant locations were roughly coded into five categories based on their geographical distance from the epicenter. We found that the closer people were to the initial epicenter in Wuhan, the higher susceptibility they felt (β=-.24, t=-11.12, P<.001), while their perceived severity displayed no significant variation based on location (β=-.02, t=-.93, P=.35). Compared with those in the peripheral provinces, people in Hubei and the forth-category provinces reported higher odds of wearing facemasks when going out (odds ratio [OR] 2.635 95%CI 1.33-4.17, P<.001; OR 3.19, 95%CI 1.78-5.72, P<.001, respectively). Participants with higher perceived susceptibility had a higher likelihood of wearing masks (OR 1.15, 95%CI 1.01-1.31, P=.04), however, lower odds of avoiding social gatherings (OR 0.87, 95%CI 0.77-0.99, P=.03) and avoiding visiting Wuhan (OR 0.69, 95%CI 0.61-0.77, P<.001). Participants’ perceived severity was positively associated with their engagement in washing hands and frequent ventilation (OR 1.12, 95%CI 1.00-1.24, P=.05), wearing masks in public (OR 1.39, 95%CI 1.25-1.55, P<.001), avoiding social gathering (OR 1.25, 95%CI 1.12-1.38, P<.001) and avoiding traveling to Wuhan (OR 1.13, 95%CI 1.02-1.25, P=.02). Participants’ sex was also associated with their perceived severity and the engagement of precautionary behaviors. CONCLUSIONS These results characterize an “epicenter effect” early in the pandemic. Our findings expand the understanding of perceived susceptibility and severity, which acted as two distinct dimensions of risk perception, and led to different behavioral outcomes.

Awareness and Perception about Tuberculosis in the General Population of Delhi

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 10-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Sharma ◽  
R. Malhotra ◽  
D.K. Taneja ◽  
R. Saha ◽  
G.K. Ingle
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
General Population ◽  
Small Proportion ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Systematic Sampling ◽  
Preventable Disease ◽  
Stigma And Discrimination ◽  
Mode Of Transmission

The present study was conducted to assess awareness and perception regarding tuberculosis among the general population of Delhi. A total of 1,008 adults, selected by multistage stratified systematic sampling, were interviewed using a pre-tested proforma. The majority had heard about tuberculosis (99.1%) and most (89.2%) perceived it to be an infectious disease. The correct mode of transmission i.e. airborne (coughing / sneezing) was known to 71.8% study subjects. The majority (90.1%) knew cough as a symptom. Nearly all (98.2%) perceived Tuberculosis to be a preventable disease, citing the treatment of patients as the main-stay of preventing spread of the disease. However, responses like separation of utensils or hospitalisation of the patient to prevent the spread of the disease indicate persistence of stigma and discrimination in a small proportion of the population. There is a need to widen the scope and intensify the information and education being provided to the population based on gaps identified. Asia Pac J Public Health 2007; 19(2): 10-15.

scholarly journals Indeterminate leprosy and lepromatous index case: four cases in the same family

2013 ◽  
Vol 88 (6 suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 105-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Priscilla Martins da Silva ◽  
Heloisa Helena Ramos Fonseca ◽  
Mariana Mazzochi Sens ◽  
Alvaro Thadeu Bender
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
General Population ◽  
Peripheral Nerves ◽  
Index Case ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Mycobacterium Leprae ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
The World

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which primarily affects the skin and peripheral nerves. Brazil remains as the country with the second largest number of cases in the world. We report the case of three patients diagnosed with indeterminate leprosy in the same family. Two patients were HIV positive. An active search led to the discovery of the index case. It was crucial to persist in the search of the index case. This report shows how important it is to teach physicians and the general population about the signs and symptoms of leprosy. Early diagnosis and treatment are necessary to prevent sequelae and to eliminate the disease as a public health problem.

scholarly journals A Comparison between the Predictors of Vaccine Uptake Intentions for Influenza and Dengue

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 2694
Author(s):  
Chitra Panchapakesan ◽  
Anita Sheldenkar ◽  
Ysa Cayabyab ◽  
Janelle Ng ◽  
Jiahui Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Perceived Barriers ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Perceived Susceptibility ◽  
Perceived Severity ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Key Drivers ◽  
Public Health Promotion ◽  
Permanent Residents

Infectious diseases have a huge health and economic burden globally. Vaccination has been found to be a crucial health intervention for diseases. The study aims to compare the drivers of vaccine uptake for influenza and dengue, and to understand the key drivers within each of the diseases in predicting vaccine uptake intentions. Data were collected from 1000 Singaporeans and Singapore permanent residents between the ages of 21 and 70 through face to face surveys. Overall, intention to get vaccinated was low for both diseases. Comparing the means between the knowledge and perceptions regarding influenza and dengue and their vaccine uptake intentions, perceived susceptibility was significantly higher for influenza than dengue; and perceived severity, knowledge of the disease, and benefits of the vaccine were significantly higher for dengue. Looking at the key drivers within the diseases, perceived susceptibility towards the diseases and benefits of the vaccine were positively associated with vaccination uptake intentions for influenza and dengue. Perceived barriers towards the vaccine were negatively associated with vaccine uptake for dengue. Programs conducted for public health promotion should focus on increasing the public’s awareness of the susceptibility and seriousness of the diseases, and the benefits of getting vaccinated.

scholarly journals Risk perception as a double-edged sword in policy compliance in COVID-19 pandemic? A two-phase evaluation from Hong Kong

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
RIcci Yue ◽  
Bobo Hi Po Lau ◽  
Cecilia Lai-Wan Chan ◽  
Siu-Man Ng
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Public Health Policy ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Policy Compliance ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Perceived Susceptibility ◽  
Perceived Severity

The emphasis of risk has been recognized as a crucial component to effective and successful policy compliance amidst crisis. Yet, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the dreadfulness of the risk may fluctuate with the severity of the prolonged pandemic, and the nature of public health policy is not confined purely to public health concerns, perceived risk may not always lead to policy compliance. Two surveys (during almost zero case period and during the biggest outbreak) were conducted to examine the dichotomous role of perceived risk and perceived susceptibility in influencing policy compliance in Hong Kong. Although policy compliance increases with the scale of the outbreak, results from path analysis showed that perceived susceptibility and perceived severity have an indirect role in policy complying behaviour when the objective risk is low. Risk variables, such as attitude, knowledge, benefit and trust, have directly shaped policy compliance. More importantly, perceived severity of COVID-19 boosts policy compliance but perceived susceptibility was associated with disobedience to public health policy. Meanwhile, Hong Kong citizens have a selective and conscious preference in regard to the stringency of public health policy: they welcome more law and order, with increasing magnitude of penalty, but reject lockdown measures such as curfew. Regression results implied that demography had a mild contribution to public health policy stringency, with only the female gender being statistically related to higher policy acceptance. This study calls for further reflection on the role of risk, especially perceived susceptibility, in mobilizing policy compliance to COVID-19 related measures.

scholarly journals The health perceptions, dengue knowledge and control willingness among Dai ethnic minority in Yunnan Province, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Liu ◽  
Cheng-Jiang Fang ◽  
Jian-Wei Xu
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Dengue Fever ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Health Perceptions ◽  
Perceived Susceptibility ◽  
Perceived Severity ◽  
Key Informants ◽  
Public Health Facilities ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background Outbreaks of dengue fever are often found among Dai ethnical communities along China-Myanmar border. The objective of this study was: 1) to investigate residents’ health perceptions, knowledge and control willingness to participate in dengue control and 2) to identify factors associated with control willingness among the Dai ethnic community. Methods This is a mixed method study of a cross-sectional design, in which qualitative in-depth interviews and quantitative household questionnaire surveys are included. Results Questionnaire was administered to 261 household heads, and in-depth interview was conducted with 18 key informants. Of them, many participants (70%, 182/259) and 12 key informants (66.7%) from the two rural communities believed that the Lord Buddha would protect the good people. Majority of the participants (81.4%, 206/253) knew that fever was one of dengue fever symptoms and most of them (82.2%, 213/259) indicated that mosquitoes could transmit dengue fever. However, only one third of the participants (30.1%, 78/259) indicated the perceived susceptibility of dengue fever, and only a half of them (50.2%, 130/259) indicated the perceived severity of dengue fever. Multivariate logistic analysis (MLA) indicated that the participants with family wealth index (FWI) 4–5 (OR: 22.9728; 95%CI: 2.4257–217.5688, p = 0.0063) were more likely to turn containers upside down (TCUD) compared to those with FWI 1–3; and the participants in the urban community (OR: 0.0239; 95%CI: 0.0019–0.3032, p = 0.004) were less likely to TCUD compared to those in the two rural communities. Around one third of the participants (36.8%, 96/239) reported that they were willing to seek treatment first for dengue fever from public health facilities. The MLA identified that the participants with the perceived severity of dengue fever (OR: 5.0564; 95%CI: 2.0672–12.3683, p = 0.0004), and with beliefs of sound hygiene helpful to people’s health (OR: 11.5671; 95%CI: 2.0505–65.2502, p = 0.0055) were more likely to seek treatment first for dengue fever from the public health facilities. Conclusion The study finds that most of Dai people have sound knowledge. However, health educational interventions should target to promote the perceived susceptibility and the perceived severity of dengue fever among Dai people.

scholarly journals Factors Influencing the Health Behavior During Public Health Emergency: A Case Study on Norovirus Outbreak in a University

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-39
Author(s):  
Shijuan Li ◽  
Qian Jiang ◽  
Pengyi Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Behavior ◽  
Behavior Change ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Health Belief ◽  
Health Behavior Change ◽  
Perceived Susceptibility ◽  
Perceived Severity ◽  
Research Framework

AbstractIt is known that health belief and health literacy are closely related to health behavior. But, we do not know explicitly how health belief and health literacy interact with each other and determine health behavior change under public health emergencies (PHE). Through the integration of constructs from health belief model (perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, and self-efficacy) and diverse dimensions of health literacy (functional, interactive and critical), a research framework is proposed to examine the underlying mechanism of health behavior change during PHE. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze 386 questionnaire data collected from Chinese university students for the research framework. The analysis results show that (1) both health belief and health literacy have significant impacts on health behavior change during PHE. However, health belief plays a mediating role which affects the health literacy's impact on health behavior; (2) while the increase of perceived severity of disease and self-efficacy promote the health behavior change, the effectiveness of perceived susceptibility on health behavior depends on the increase of perceived severity; and (3) the enhancement of interactive health literacy effectively promotes health behavior change, while functional and critical health literacy reduces the blind change. The results throw lights on health education services and provide references and factors in understanding and encouraging health behavior changes to relevant stakeholders including social media operators, practitioners, social service providers, and policy makers.

scholarly journals The Appraisal and Endorsement of Individual and Public Preventive Measures to Combat COVID-19 and the Associated Psychological Predictors among Chinese Living in Canada

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 592-599
Author(s):  
Ling Na ◽  
Lixia Yang ◽  
Linke Yu ◽  
Kathryn Bolton ◽  
Weiguo Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Perceived Susceptibility ◽  
Mainland Chinese ◽  
Perceived Severity ◽  
The Public ◽  
Individual Measure ◽  
Lower Education

Aims: The study examines the factors related to the appraisal and adherence of the individual and public health preventive measures. Background: The effectiveness of the measures battling the pandemic was largely determined by the voluntary compliance of the public. Objectives: This study aimed to identify psychological perception factors related to the appraisal of individual measures and endorsement of public health measures during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic among Chinese living in Canada. Methods: A convenience sample of 656 participants completed an online survey. Nonparametric Kruskal Wallis tests were used to compare COVID perception variables (e.g., perceived susceptibility, fear, perceived severity, and information confusion) among different sociodemographic subgroups. Bootstrapped regression models were used to assess the association of these variables with outcome measures. Results: Compared to their counterpart groups, lower perceived susceptibility was reported by adults 65 years and older (p = .002) or retired (p = .015); greater fear was reported by females (p = .044), those with lower education (p = .001), and Mainland Chinese (p = .033); greater perceived severity was reported by individuals with lower education and smaller household size (ps = .003). Perceived susceptibility was inversely associated with individual measure appraisal (p = .032). Perceived severity was positively associated with individual measure appraisal (p = .005) and public measure endorsement (p < .001). Conclusion: Individual behaviour measure appraisal was predicted by lower perceived susceptibility and higher perceived severity, whereas public health measure endorsement was related to higher perceived severity. These results inform the public and the policymakers about the critical factors that affect the preventive measure appraisal and endorsement.

“cool and clean”: does prevention of substance abuse work in sport?

2017 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
General Population ◽  
Prevention Programme ◽  
High Expectations ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Umbrella Organisation ◽  
International Attention ◽  
National Prevention ◽  
Preventive Effects

There is a strong belief among the general population that sport has positive effects. However, only some preventive effects of sport meet these high expectations. Numerous studies have specifically shown that sport does not protect people from the consumption of legal and illegal drugs such as alcohol, tobacco and cannabis. For this reason, the umbrella organisation of Swiss sports associations (Swiss Olympic), the Federal Office of Sport (FOSPO) and the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) teamed up as early as 2003 and launched the “cool and clean” prevention programme. Over the last 14 years, it has developed into Switzerland’s largest national prevention programme and has also attracted international attention. This article summarizes how “cool and clean” works and what the programme achieved so far.

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