Paradox of Protective Behaviors Among Muslim Men During the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract

Objective: The imposition of protective health protocols in public spaces to curb the spread of COVID-19 has confronted the ritual of congregational prayers in mosques for Muslims. This study examines the adoption of protective behaviours in the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak and the influence of religion on risk perception by comparing precautionary behaviours in public and in mosques. Methods: Data was collected through an online survey of 327 Muslim men across the Aceh province, Indonesia, from 21 April 2020 to 2 May 2020. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the paired t-test were employed to compare the uptake of protective behaviours in public and mosques. Results: The adoption of protective behaviours was higher in public rather than in mosques. It further revealed that the understanding of Islamic teachings during the pandemic has influenced perceived risk and the way Muslim men comply with the protective guidelines. Those who have complete, incomplete, or no compliance of precautionary behaviours have their own interpretation of Islamic teachings that inform their individual actions to manage the risk. Conclusion: This study suggests the significance of religious views for developing public health preparedness during the current and future pandemics in Aceh and other Muslim majority regions.

Pengetahuan, Sikap dan Perilaku Masyarakat dalam Melaksanakan Protokol Kesehatan Pencegahan COVID-19

“…Tingkat pengetahuan sebagian individu terhadap dampak buruk COVID-19 masih kurang dan masih merasa aman bahwa ia terhindar dari COVID-19 (Kusuma & Nurchayati, 2021). Hal yang sama terjadi di Aceh, bahwa tingkat persepsi resiko yang rendah membuat masyarakat tidak melaksanakan protokol kesehatan ketika berada di Mesjid (Nurrahmi et al, 2021).…”

An evaluation of community satisfaction with the government's COVID-19 pandemic response in Aceh, Indonesia

“…Concerns over the halal status of vaccines are among the main reasons for vaccine refusal [ 74 ]. As the province has implemented sharia laws and customs as a background, this reluctant behavior [ 75 ] might have increased the challenges faced by the local government in responding to the pandemic. According to Shaw, Kimb [ 1 ], a comprehensive strategy is needed to face this pandemic, including science-based decision making by the local governance as well as community behavior.…”

Religious Interpretation and the Pandemics in Indonesia: Whither the Pesantren Kiai Develop Meaning of Tawakkal

“…6 In some mosque communities, it was hard to spread the idea of health protocols issued by the government, because the religious views that were not supporting preparedness against the pandemics. 7 Furthermore, there are several Islamic spiritual events that were conducted to reduce depression due to the pandemics. 8 These previous studies suggest that religious (Islamic) authorities and their approach are very influential in the making of people's attitudes during the pandemic period.…”