Worry and behaviour at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak: Results from three UK surveys (the COVID-19 rapid survey of Adherence to Interventions and responses [CORSAIR] study)

TY - JOUR

T1 - Worry and behaviour at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak

T2 - Results from three UK surveys (the COVID-19 rapid survey of Adherence to Interventions and responses [CORSAIR] study)

AU - Smith, Louise

AU - Potts, Henry

AU - Amlot, Richard

AU - Fear, Nicola

AU - Michie, Susan

AU - Rubin, James

N1 - Funding Information: This work was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Services and Delivery Research programme (NIHR project reference number 11/46/21) . LS, RA and GJR are supported by the National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Emergency Preparedness and Response, a partnership between the UK Health Security Agency, King’s College London and the University of East Anglia. RA is also supported by the NIHR HPRU in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, a partnership between the UK Health Security Agency and the University of Bristol. RA is an employee of the UK Health Security Agency. HWWP has received funding from Public Health England and NHS England, consultancy fees to his employer from Ipsos MORI, and has a PhD student who works at and has fees paid by Astra Zeneca. NTF is part funded by a grant from the UK Ministry of Defence. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR, the UK Health Security Agency, the Department of Health and Social Care or the Ministry of Defence. The Department of Health and Social Care funded data collection (no grant number). Publisher Copyright: © 2021

PY - 2022/2

Y1 - 2022/2

N2 - We aimed to describe worry and uptake of behaviours that prevent the spread of infection (respiratory and hand hygiene, distancing) in the UK at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak (January and February 2020) and to investigate factors associated with worry and adopting protective behaviours. Three cross-sectional online surveys of UK adults (28 to 30 January, n = 2016; 3 to 6 February, n = 2002; 10 to 13 February 2020, n = 2006) were conducted. We used logistic regressions to investigate associations between outcome measures (worry, respiratory and hand hygiene behaviour, distancing behaviour) and explanatory variables. 19.8% of participants (95% CI 18.8% to 20.8%) were very or extremely worried about COVID-19. People from minoritized ethnic groups were particularly likely to feel worried. 39.9% of participants (95% CI 37.7% to 42.0%) had completed one or more hand or respiratory hygiene behaviour more than usual in the last seven days. Uptake was associated with greater worry, perceived effectiveness of individual behaviours, self-efficacy for engaging in them, and having heard more information about COVID-19. 13.7% (95% CI 12.2% to 15.2%) had reduced the number of people they had met. This was associated with greater worry, perceived effectiveness, and self-efficacy. At the start of novel infectious disease outbreaks, communications should emphasise perceived effectiveness of behaviours and the ease with which they can be carried out.

AB - We aimed to describe worry and uptake of behaviours that prevent the spread of infection (respiratory and hand hygiene, distancing) in the UK at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak (January and February 2020) and to investigate factors associated with worry and adopting protective behaviours. Three cross-sectional online surveys of UK adults (28 to 30 January, n = 2016; 3 to 6 February, n = 2002; 10 to 13 February 2020, n = 2006) were conducted. We used logistic regressions to investigate associations between outcome measures (worry, respiratory and hand hygiene behaviour, distancing behaviour) and explanatory variables. 19.8% of participants (95% CI 18.8% to 20.8%) were very or extremely worried about COVID-19. People from minoritized ethnic groups were particularly likely to feel worried. 39.9% of participants (95% CI 37.7% to 42.0%) had completed one or more hand or respiratory hygiene behaviour more than usual in the last seven days. Uptake was associated with greater worry, perceived effectiveness of individual behaviours, self-efficacy for engaging in them, and having heard more information about COVID-19. 13.7% (95% CI 12.2% to 15.2%) had reduced the number of people they had met. This was associated with greater worry, perceived effectiveness, and self-efficacy. At the start of novel infectious disease outbreaks, communications should emphasise perceived effectiveness of behaviours and the ease with which they can be carried out.

KW - COVID-19

KW - Hand cleansing

KW - Hand washing

KW - Physical distancing

KW - Respiratory behaviours

KW - Social distancing

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85122320338&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101686

DO - 10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101686

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85122320338

SN - 2211-3355

VL - 25

JO - Preventive Medicine Reports

JF - Preventive Medicine Reports

M1 - 101686

ER -