tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Disaster Med Public Health Prep
. 2020 Oct 12;1-17.
doi: 10.1017/dmp.2020.378. Online ahead of print.
Changes in preventive behavior during the first three months of the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran
Abbas Shamsalinia[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sepideh Mohammadi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Fatemeh Ghaffari[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Tajmohammad Arazi[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Objectives: Iran is facing a big challenge controlling the COVID-19 outbreak and it is unclear to how individuals are engaging in preventive behaviors. This study aimed to investigate changes in preventive behaviors during the first three months of the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran.
Method: This cross-sectional survey was conducted on 1477 adults aged 18years and older in 31 provinces of Iran. Data was collected by an anonymous online questionnaire.
Result: Overall, engagement in preventive behaviors was relatively acceptable and more than 45% of subjects always carried out all preventive behaviors. Engaging in the all preventive behaviors had a peak in the second month and obviously declined during third month. Engagement in some preventive behaviors such as "wearing a face mask" and "keeping a safe distance from others" observed less than other behaviors. There was statistically significant difference in the engagement in preventive behaviors by gender and occupation (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Although engagement in preventive behaviors was relatively acceptable at first two months of the outbreak, it has declined gradually. This is a warning for public health decision makers. COVID-19 is still a crucial issue in Iran and it is necessary that government decision be based on the fact that Iranian people must live with a coronavirus for months, with full caution and compliance toward all preventive care protocols.
Keywords: COVID-19; Novel Coronavirus; Preventive behavior; Protective behaviors.
. 2020 Oct 12;1-17.
doi: 10.1017/dmp.2020.378. Online ahead of print.
Changes in preventive behavior during the first three months of the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran
Abbas Shamsalinia[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sepideh Mohammadi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Fatemeh Ghaffari[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Tajmohammad Arazi[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33040769
- DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2020.378
Abstract
Objectives: Iran is facing a big challenge controlling the COVID-19 outbreak and it is unclear to how individuals are engaging in preventive behaviors. This study aimed to investigate changes in preventive behaviors during the first three months of the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran.
Method: This cross-sectional survey was conducted on 1477 adults aged 18years and older in 31 provinces of Iran. Data was collected by an anonymous online questionnaire.
Result: Overall, engagement in preventive behaviors was relatively acceptable and more than 45% of subjects always carried out all preventive behaviors. Engaging in the all preventive behaviors had a peak in the second month and obviously declined during third month. Engagement in some preventive behaviors such as "wearing a face mask" and "keeping a safe distance from others" observed less than other behaviors. There was statistically significant difference in the engagement in preventive behaviors by gender and occupation (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Although engagement in preventive behaviors was relatively acceptable at first two months of the outbreak, it has declined gradually. This is a warning for public health decision makers. COVID-19 is still a crucial issue in Iran and it is necessary that government decision be based on the fact that Iranian people must live with a coronavirus for months, with full caution and compliance toward all preventive care protocols.
Keywords: COVID-19; Novel Coronavirus; Preventive behavior; Protective behaviors.