Pandemic fatigue or enduring precautionary behaviours? Canadians’ long-term response to COVID-19 public health measures
The long-term dynamics of COVID-19 disease incidence and public health measures may impact individuals’ precautionary behaviours as well as support for measures. The objectives of this study were to assess longitudinal changes in precautionary behaviours and support for public health measures. Surve...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Preventive Medicine Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221133552200300X |
| _version_ | 1811206457640615936 |
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| author | Gabrielle Brankston Eric Merkley Peter J. Loewen Brent P. Avery Carolee A. Carson Brendan P. Dougherty David N. Fisman Ashleigh R. Tuite Zvonimir Poljak Amy L. Greer |
| author_facet | Gabrielle Brankston Eric Merkley Peter J. Loewen Brent P. Avery Carolee A. Carson Brendan P. Dougherty David N. Fisman Ashleigh R. Tuite Zvonimir Poljak Amy L. Greer |
| author_sort | Gabrielle Brankston |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The long-term dynamics of COVID-19 disease incidence and public health measures may impact individuals’ precautionary behaviours as well as support for measures. The objectives of this study were to assess longitudinal changes in precautionary behaviours and support for public health measures. Survey data were collected online from 1030 Canadians in each of 5 cycles in 2020: June 15-July 13; July 22-Aug 8; Sept 7–15; Oct 14–21; and Nov 12–17. Precautionary behaviour increased over the study period in the context of increasing disease incidence. When controlling for the stringency of public health measures and disease incidence, mixed effects logistic regression models showed these behaviours did not significantly change over time. Odds ratios for avoiding contact with family and friends ranged from 0.84 (95% CI 0.59–1.20) in September to 1.25 (95% CI 0.66–2.37) in November compared with July 2020. Odds ratios for attending an indoor gathering ranged from 0.86 (95% CI 0.62–1.20) in August to 1.71 (95% CI 0.95–3.09) in October compared with July 2020. Support for non-essential business closures increased over time with 2.33 (95% CI 1.14–4.75) times higher odds of support in November compared to July 2020. Support for school closures declined over time with lower odds of support in September (OR 0.66 [95% CI 0.45–0.96]), October (OR 0.48 [95% CI 0.26–0.87]), and November (OR 0.39 [95% CI 0.19–0.81]) compared with July 2020. In summary, respondents’ behaviour mirrored government guidance between July and November 2020 and supported individual precautionary behaviour and limitations on non-essential businesses over school closures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:48:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c4600d07713a419c8f0c1363955c89b2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2211-3355 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:48:57Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Preventive Medicine Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-c4600d07713a419c8f0c1363955c89b22022-12-22T03:49:03ZengElsevierPreventive Medicine Reports2211-33552022-12-0130101993Pandemic fatigue or enduring precautionary behaviours? Canadians’ long-term response to COVID-19 public health measuresGabrielle Brankston0Eric Merkley1Peter J. Loewen2Brent P. Avery3Carolee A. Carson4Brendan P. Dougherty5David N. Fisman6Ashleigh R. Tuite7Zvonimir Poljak8Amy L. Greer9Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, CanadaDepartment of Political Science, University of Toronto, CanadaMunk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto, CanadaCentre for Foodborne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of CanadaCentre for Foodborne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of CanadaCentre for Foodborne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of CanadaDalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, CanadaDalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Canada; Centre for Immunization Readiness, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, CanadaDepartment of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Canada; Corresponding author.The long-term dynamics of COVID-19 disease incidence and public health measures may impact individuals’ precautionary behaviours as well as support for measures. The objectives of this study were to assess longitudinal changes in precautionary behaviours and support for public health measures. Survey data were collected online from 1030 Canadians in each of 5 cycles in 2020: June 15-July 13; July 22-Aug 8; Sept 7–15; Oct 14–21; and Nov 12–17. Precautionary behaviour increased over the study period in the context of increasing disease incidence. When controlling for the stringency of public health measures and disease incidence, mixed effects logistic regression models showed these behaviours did not significantly change over time. Odds ratios for avoiding contact with family and friends ranged from 0.84 (95% CI 0.59–1.20) in September to 1.25 (95% CI 0.66–2.37) in November compared with July 2020. Odds ratios for attending an indoor gathering ranged from 0.86 (95% CI 0.62–1.20) in August to 1.71 (95% CI 0.95–3.09) in October compared with July 2020. Support for non-essential business closures increased over time with 2.33 (95% CI 1.14–4.75) times higher odds of support in November compared to July 2020. Support for school closures declined over time with lower odds of support in September (OR 0.66 [95% CI 0.45–0.96]), October (OR 0.48 [95% CI 0.26–0.87]), and November (OR 0.39 [95% CI 0.19–0.81]) compared with July 2020. In summary, respondents’ behaviour mirrored government guidance between July and November 2020 and supported individual precautionary behaviour and limitations on non-essential businesses over school closures.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221133552200300XLongitudinal surveyCOVID-19Precautionary behaviourPublic health measures |
| spellingShingle | Gabrielle Brankston Eric Merkley Peter J. Loewen Brent P. Avery Carolee A. Carson Brendan P. Dougherty David N. Fisman Ashleigh R. Tuite Zvonimir Poljak Amy L. Greer Pandemic fatigue or enduring precautionary behaviours? Canadians’ long-term response to COVID-19 public health measures Preventive Medicine Reports Longitudinal survey COVID-19 Precautionary behaviour Public health measures |
| title | Pandemic fatigue or enduring precautionary behaviours? Canadians’ long-term response to COVID-19 public health measures |
| title_full | Pandemic fatigue or enduring precautionary behaviours? Canadians’ long-term response to COVID-19 public health measures |
| title_fullStr | Pandemic fatigue or enduring precautionary behaviours? Canadians’ long-term response to COVID-19 public health measures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pandemic fatigue or enduring precautionary behaviours? Canadians’ long-term response to COVID-19 public health measures |
| title_short | Pandemic fatigue or enduring precautionary behaviours? Canadians’ long-term response to COVID-19 public health measures |
| title_sort | pandemic fatigue or enduring precautionary behaviours canadians long term response to covid 19 public health measures |
| topic | Longitudinal survey COVID-19 Precautionary behaviour Public health measures |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221133552200300X |
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