Compliance with social distancing to combat COVID-19 in the context of the Health Belief Model.

Dr. Meenakumari Natarajan; Mrs.Shanthini Williams

Volume : IX, Issue : V, May - 2020

Compliance with social distancing to combat COVID-19 in the context of the Health Belief Model.

Dr. Meenakumari Natarajan, Mrs. Shanthini Williams

Abstract :

Introduction: Threatening to alter everything as we know, COVID–19 continues to spread across the globe causing an unprecedented situation and has turned into a fast–spreading, debilitating, pandemic. Unfortunately, we have no specific therapeutics or vaccines yet and need to rely on conventional approaches such as quarantine, isolation, social distancing and community containment along with symptomatic treatment. Methods: searched top list electronic databases systematically such as PubMed, Medline Google and Google Scholar. Retrieved results were grouped into 6 domains of Health belief model namely perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self–efficacy and cues to action. Results: In our analysis, we found that the compliance rate was much less than average among the young adults. The social assistance measures such as financial allowances including professional expenses, nutrition support and psychological support played a significant role in the acceptance of self–containment or social distancing. Income and employment status had a major impact on social distancing behaviour. Additionally, lower–wage occupations often have a less supple arrangement and high earners too have felt pressured to work either due to understaffing or from fear of downscaling. Moreover, some nature of jobs does not fit work from home. Therefore, people belonging to low–income status put themselves at risk because of their perceived inability to miss work. Conclusion: Social distancing methods are important public health measures for controlling the epidemic, and individual responses to disease risk are influenced by his/her perception of risk and benefit. Individuals weigh the perceptions and this results in behaviour shift. Further studies are required to evaluate the effectiveness of social distancing during outeak times.