Predictors of Adopting Precautionary Practices in Saudi Community During COVID -19 Pandemic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47672/ajp.537Keywords:
Covid-19, behavior, protective measures, predictors.Abstract
Purpose: The massive spread of the new coronavirus, starting from China, continues to threaten the lives of populations worldwide. With no available treatment or vaccine, precautionary behaviors remain the principle preventive measure against the disease. The current study aimed at exploring the factors predicting adherence and adoption of individuals to the recommended precautionary practice in Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: Through a cross-sectional design, using a predesigned questionnaire distributed through social media and targeting general adult Saudi population, 1860 individuals responded in almost two weeks. The used questionnaire included, in addition to demographic characteristics, perception of the respondents to the seriousness of the disease, and their compliance with the recommended protective measures of Covid-19.
Findings: The total respondents were 1860, among which 1680 individuals responded within the first week of the study (March 2020). The majority of responders were Saudi (90.4%), with marked dominance of females (74.1%), and their mean age was 39.2± 11.6 years. Slightly more than one-half of the respondents (57.2%) agreed that Covid-19 is a serious disease. The perception of participants about the seriousness of Covid-19 was significantly higher among retired individuals p<0.05. Those who perceived Covid-19 as a serious disease were significantly keener to comply with the recommended protective measures against Covid-19. Two-thirds of the respondents (65.8%) expressed that they are worried that the spread of the disease may become worse, and 15.1% always feel afraid to get the disease. Those who felt fearful of getting the disease were significantly more compliant with the protective measures. The primary source of information about Covid-19 was MOH (1164, 62.6%).
Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Perception of the seriousness of the disease and fear of getting the disease are significant predictors for compliance with recommended protective measures, although it could be beneficial during pandemics; however, the consequences of long-standing worry and fears should be taken into consideration of the health care providers.
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References
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Alecu, L. S. (2020). The Psychology of Pandemics: Preparing for the Next Global Outbreak of Infectious Disease. Journal of Community Positive Practices.
AlNajjar, N., Attar, L., Farahat, F., & AlThaqafi, A. (2016). Psychobehavioural responses to the 2014 Middle East respiratory syndrome-novel corona virus (MERS CoV) among adults in two shopping malls in Jeddah, western Saudi Arabia. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. https://doi.org/10.26719/2016.22.11.817
Barry, M., Al Amri, M., & Memish, Z. A. (2020). Covid-19 in the shadows of MERS-CoV in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health. https://doi.org/10.2991/jegh.k.200218.003
Carvalho, P. M. de M., Moreira, M. M., de Oliveira, M. N. A., Landim, J. M. M., & Neto, M. L. R. (2020). The psychiatric impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Psychiatry Research, 286(February), 112902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112902
Dubey, S., Biswas, P., Ghosh, R., Chatterjee, S., Dubey, M. J., Chatterjee, S., Lahiri, D., & Lavie, C. J. (2020). Psychosocial impact of COVID-19. Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2020.05.035
Gillian K. SteelFisher, Ph.D., Robert J. Blendon, Sc.D., Mark M. Bekheit, J.D., and Keri Lubell, P. D. (2010). The Public’s Response to the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic. The New England Journal of Medicine, 65(June 2009), 1–6.
Huremović, D. (Ed.). (2019). Ebola: A Behavior-Driven Crisis. Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
Rothan, H. A., & Byrareddy, S. N. (2020). The epidemiology and pathogenesis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Journal of Autoimmunity, 109(February), 102433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaut.2020.102433
Sanche, S., Lin, Y. T., Xu, C., Romero-Severson, E., Hengartner, N., & Ke, R. (2020). High Contagiousness and Rapid Spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. Emerging Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2607.200282
Sohrabi, C., Alsafi, Z., O’Neill, N., Khan, M., Kerwan, A., Al-Jabir, A., Iosifidis, C., & Agha, R. (2020). World Health Organization declares global emergency: A review of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In International Journal of Surgery. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2020.02.034
Tavakoli, A., Vahdat, K., & Keshavarz, M. (2020). Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): An Emerging Infectious Disease in the 21st Century. Iranian South Medical Journal. https://doi.org/10.29252/ismj.22.6.432
Wang, C., Pan, R., Wan, X., Tan, Y., Xu, L., McIntyre, R. S., Choo, F. N., Tran, B., Ho, R., Sharma, V. K., & Ho, C. (2020). A longitudinal study on the mental health of general population during the COVID-19 epidemic in China. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2020.04.028
Alecu, L. S. (2020). The Psychology of Pandemics: Preparing for the Next Global Outbreak of Infectious Disease. Journal of Community Positive Practices.
AlNajjar, N., Attar, L., Farahat, F., & AlThaqafi, A. (2016). Psychobehavioural responses to the 2014 Middle East respiratory syndrome-novel corona virus (MERS CoV) among adults in two shopping malls in Jeddah, western Saudi Arabia. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. https://doi.org/10.26719/2016.22.11.817
Barry, M., Al Amri, M., & Memish, Z. A. (2020). Covid-19 in the shadows of MERS-CoV in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health. https://doi.org/10.2991/jegh.k.200218.003
Carvalho, P. M. de M., Moreira, M. M., de Oliveira, M. N. A., Landim, J. M. M., & Neto, M. L. R. (2020). The psychiatric impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Psychiatry Research, 286(February), 112902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112902
Dubey, S., Biswas, P., Ghosh, R., Chatterjee, S., Dubey, M. J., Chatterjee, S., Lahiri, D., & Lavie, C. J. (2020). Psychosocial impact of COVID-19. Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2020.05.035
Gillian K. SteelFisher, Ph.D., Robert J. Blendon, Sc.D., Mark M. Bekheit, J.D., and Keri Lubell, P. D. (2010). The Public’s Response to the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic. The New England Journal of Medicine, 65(June 2009), 1–6.
Huremović, D. (Ed.). (2019). Ebola: A Behavior-Driven Crisis. Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
Rothan, H. A., & Byrareddy, S. N. (2020). The epidemiology and pathogenesis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Journal of Autoimmunity, 109(February), 102433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaut.2020.102433
Sanche, S., Lin, Y. T., Xu, C., Romero-Severson, E., Hengartner, N., & Ke, R. (2020). High Contagiousness and Rapid Spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. Emerging Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2607.200282
Sohrabi, C., Alsafi, Z., O’Neill, N., Khan, M., Kerwan, A., Al-Jabir, A., Iosifidis, C., & Agha, R. (2020). World Health Organization declares global emergency: A review of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In International Journal of Surgery. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2020.02.034
Tavakoli, A., Vahdat, K., & Keshavarz, M. (2020). Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): An Emerging Infectious Disease in the 21st Century. Iranian South Medical Journal. https://doi.org/10.29252/ismj.22.6.432
Wang, C., Pan, R., Wan, X., Tan, Y., Xu, L., McIntyre, R. S., Choo, F. N., Tran, B., Ho, R., Sharma, V. K., & Ho, C. (2020). A longitudinal study on the mental health of general population during the COVID-19 epidemic in China. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2020.04.028
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