Explaining the reasons for not maintaining the health guidelines to prevent COVID-19 in high-risk jobs: a qualitative study in Iran

Abstract

Background Although the workers in many occupations are at the greatest risk of catching and spreading COVID-19 due to assembling and contacting people, the owners of these occupations do not follow COVID-19 health instructions. The purpose of this study is to explain the reasons for not maintaining health guidelines to prevent COVID-19 in high-risk jobs in Iran. Methods The present study was conducted with a qualitative approach among people with high-risk jobs in Tehran during March and April of 2020. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 31 people with high-risk occupations selected by purposeful sampling and snowballing. The data were analyzed using the conventional qualitative content analysis method and MAXQDA-18 software. Guba and Lincoln’s criteria were also used to evaluate the quality of the research results. Results 4 main categories and 13 sub-categories were obtained, including individual factors (personality traits, lack of self-efficacy, little knowledge of the disease and how to observe health norms related to it, misconceptions about health), structural factors (difficulty of access to health supplies, lack of supportive environment, weak laws and supervision, the poor performance of officials and national media), economic factors (economic costs of living, lack of government economic support), Socio-cultural factors (learning, cultural beliefs, social customs, and rituals). Conclusion COVID-19 prevention requires intervention at different levels. At the individual level: increasing people’s awareness and understanding about how to prevent COVID-19 and strengthening self-efficacy in observing health norms, at the social level: highlighting positive patterns of observing health issues and training people about the consequences of social interactions during the outbreak of the virus, and at the macro level: strengthening regulatory rules and increasing people’s access to hygienic products and support for the vulnerable must be taken into account.

Social determinants of adherence to COVID-19 preventive guidelines: a comprehensive review

“…Moreover, a supportive work environment based on a mutual understanding between the employer and employees can enhance the motivation and commitment of people to engage more actively in preventive behaviors to protect not only their health but also that of others. People who have temporary, informal, and non-governmental jobs often do not have enough support from their employers to take sick leave, access to the necessary protective equipment (such as gloves, masks, or alcohol), or reduced working hours in the COVID-19 pandemic [79]. These conditions may affect their intention and ability to implement preventive guidelines.…”

Role of Religious Leaders in COVID-19 Prevention: A Community-Level Prevention Model in Sri Lanka

“…It is essential to address these factors at both macro- and micro-social levels. In this regard, making involvements of both celebrities and the clergy in COVID-19 confrontation activities has been observed in different countries, while Iran is one of the countries that has taken their support to immeasurable levels (Soleimanvandi Azar et al, 2021 ; Yoosefi Lebni et al, 2021 ).…”

“…On the one hand, the positive role expected from the clergy is bringing in support for health promotion and spiritual activities, mobilisation of people to combat the disease, and material/instrument supports. On the other, opposing social restrictions, especially for closing religious places, countering the hygienic scientific principles, and inducing vaccine hesitancy, can be considered as adverse effects of the role of the clergy (Soleimanvandi Azar et al, 2021 ; Yoosefi Lebni et al, 2021 ).…”

Exploring the experiences of operating room health care professionals' from the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Accordingly, this can be due to the complex and stressful atmosphere in the operating room [ 6 ]. As the disease is progressing and the pandemic is developing, despite the current recommendations that surgery should be performed only in emergencies, the likelihood of positive COVID-19 emergencies for surgical intervention increases, which consequently leads to the high likelihood of contamination of the operating room environment [ 7 ]. In this context, Perrin (2020) states that in the operating room, where anesthesiologists, surgeons, and staff are accustomed to working in close contacts, keeping social distance would be challenging.…”