Sociodemographic effects on pandemic fatigue are multifaceted and context-specific: a longitudinal analysis of physical distancing adherence

Abstract

Pandemic fatigue emerged early during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains a concern as new variants emerge and ongoing public health measures are needed to control them. A wide range of factors can affect pandemic fatigue, but empiric research indicating which may be most important to adherence in specific populations is lacking. Here we report results from a longitudinal study of physical distancing, in which we found that changes in contact rates over time differed according to several sociodemographic characteristics. Meaningful effects emerged along lines of age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, household composition, and access to transportation. Furthermore, the factors influencing the rate of change in contact rates differed by the type or setting of the contact, for example contacts as a result of visiting another person’s home versus during a retail outing. These results provide evidence for potential mechanisms by which pandemic fatigue has resulted in lower physical distancing adherence.