Role of community-based measures in adherence to self-protective behaviors during first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia

Role of community-based measures in adherence to self-protective behaviors during first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia Asma Ayyed AL-Shammary College of Public Health and Health Informatics, College of Science, University of Ha’il, Ha’il-81451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3247-4422 Sehar un-Nisa Hassan Department of Public Health, College of Public health and Health Informatics, University of Ha’il, Ha’il-81451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4703-4094 Aqeela Zahra Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ha’il, Ha’il-81451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1751-7252 Fahad Bin Zafir Algahtani Department of Public Health, College of Public health and Health Informatics, University of Ha’il, Ha’il-81451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Molecular diagnostic & Personalized Therapeutic Unit, University of Ha’il, Ha’il-81451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Shadi Suleiman College of Applied Medical Science, University of Ha’il, Ha’il-81451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Background: The expected second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has started in various regions of the world. Public health experts warned that it could be as lethal as the first wave if people did not comply with self-protective measures. Currently, there is a gap in the literature on the relationship between peoples’ assessment of the effectiveness of community-based measures regarding adherence to self-protective behaviors for COVID-19 prevention and control. This study aimed to assess the role of the perceived effectiveness of community-based measures in adherence to self-protective behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The cross-sectional online survey conducted from March 24 to June 22, 2020. The study sample Included 400 participants (49% male and 51% female) from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The outcome measure was compliance to four self-protective behaviors i.e., "social distancing;" "wearing facemask;" "washing hands more frequently;" and "disinfecting surfaces in homes." We computed Chi-square statistics and odds ratios (ORs) using 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The findings demonstrated that participants aged 25–34 years old were 25% less likely to comply with hand hygiene (OR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.33–0.95) and social distancing (OR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.34–0.98). Misconceptions related to COVID-19 significantly decreased compliance with self-protective behaviors by up to 27%. Participants who rated government decisions as useful were approximately 1.7 times more likely to comply with self-protective behaviors. Conclusion: Community-based measures should focus on engaging segments of the population That are currently less compliant. Health education policies should also focus on enhancing the perceived sense of control and personal responsibility and reduce anxiety levels. A continuous commitment to the implementation of preventive interventions and the clarification of misconceptions are required to combat the expected second wave.
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