“Public Health Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece and Associated Factors: A Nationwide Cross-sectional Survey”

Abstract

The objective of this cross-sectional survey was to estimate the association between multiple socioeconomic, and health-related characteristics, COVID-19 related attitudes and adoption of public health preventive behaviors. A national cross-sectional survey among 1205 adults was conducted in April 2020 in Greece. Multivariable ordered logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between COVID-19 related attitudes and knowledge and adoption of preventive behaviors, controlling for socioeconomic and health-related characteristics. A total of 923 individuals fully completed the survey. Individuals who believed that the virus is out of control, is transmitted through the air, and is not similar to the common flu were more likely to adopt public health preventive behaviors more frequently, particularly wearing masks in public spaces, washing their hands, and spending fewer hours out of their homes. Uncertainty about the virus symptomatology was associated with less frequent mask-wearing and handwashing. Increased social support, frequent media use for COVID-19 updates, trust to authorities, older age, worse health status, female gender and being a healthcare professional were also associated with uptake of some preventive health behaviors. Attitudinal and socioeconomic determinants critically affect public engagement in preventive behaviors. Health policy initiatives should focus on community outreach approaches to raise awareness and to strengthen social support mechanisms by integrating multiple stakeholders.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Primary Care Physicians towards COVID-19 in Greece: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Globally, lower income population groups tend to have lower scores in comparison to high-income groups [18]. Some KAP studies have also been conducted in Greece, in both community groups and healthcare workers, with their findings in accordance with the international literature findings [21,22]. This study was conducted during March 2021, a critical and early time period for the vaccination campaign in Greece, a year after the first lockdown [23].…”

Psychosocial determinants of adherence to public health and social measures (PHSMs) in 18 African Union Member States during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: results of a cross-sectional survey

“…The importance of public trust in achieving an effective public health response has been strongly reinforced during the COVID-19 pandemic 30–32. Trust in government and civic institutions has been described as a key component of the social capital that influences health behaviour 33 34.…”

Positive Emotion and Media Dependence: Measuring Risk Information Seeking and Perception in the COVID-19 Pandemic Prevention

“…The high level of uncertainty and the lack of experience has brought negative emotional responses such as fear, 1 anxiety, 2 and irrational public behaviors, 3 leading many people rely on online health information to learn more about preventing themselves and family members from the threat of the coronavirus. 4 Importantly, information seeking facilitated engaging in reasonable behavioral responses 5 and promoting acceptance of prevention promotions, 6 which in turn affects the control of new outbreaks.…”