An Empirical Analysis of Demographic Characteristics, Acquired Knowledge, and Personal Beliefs as Indicators of Behavioral Compliance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)
Authors: Chin Nikita Radha , Chin Ashley Reshma , Brookshire Robert , Chin Amita Goyal , Kang Seonjun 
Published: June 2021

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is of vital importance to identify factors that promote behavioral compliance of consumers to the recommendations of government agencies.

OBJECTIVE

This study analyzed demographic characteristics, acquired knowledge, and personal beliefs, in combination with anxiety and stress, as indicators of compliance in the general population to recommended behavioral changes during COVID-19.

METHODS

Data from a survey that was administered on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp was analyzed. Participation was voluntary and no compensation of any kind was provided. T tests and analysis of variance were used to compare average scores of the different demographic groups, with degrees of freedom adjusted if the equal variance assumption appeared to be violated. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds ratios for adoption of the various preventive behaviors. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 27, IBM Corp). Structural equation modelling was performed using SmartPLS. The impact of personal characteristics – age, gender, education, race, and political affiliation, combined with acquired knowledge about COVID-19, personal beliefs during the crisis, and the resulting anxiety and stress were evaluated for their effect on the adoption of recommended behavioral changes during COVID-19.

RESULTS

5,677 social media users participated in the online survey, however, only 4,998 completed the entire survey and were used in our analyses. Only respondents who were 18 years of age or older and U.S. residents were included in the final data set. Females had a higher average knowledge about COVID-19 (t=3.09, df=4960, p<0.01), but the genders were similar in their knowledge of protective factors (t=0.26, df=4960, p=0.79). Republicans had a lower average COVID-19 knowledge score (t=-3.93, df=4996, p<0.001) and a lower average knowledge of protective factors (t=-2.82, df=4996, p<0.01). Those with higher levels of education had higher mean COVID-19 knowledge scores (F=79.10, df=4,4993, p<0.001). Among the different age groups, younger respondents had higher levels of COVID-19 knowledge (F=11.46, df=2,4995, p<0.001), but the age groups were similar in their knowledge of protective factors (F=0.28, df=2,4995, p=0.645). About two-thirds of the sample (67%) disagreed or strongly disagreed that COVID-19 was an act of bioterrorism. About 82% agreed or strongly agreed that COVID-19 is more deadly than the seasonal flu. About 84% agreed or strongly agreed that the amount of media attention paid to COVID-19 was adequate, and most (80%) disagreed or strongly disagreed that COVID-19 is not as big a problem as the media suggests. Republicans on average had higher agreement that the virus was released as an act of bioterrorism (t=16.00, df=2030.3, p<0.001), that the virus is not as big a problem as the media suggests (t=20.61, df=1908.3, p<0.001), and that warm weather will reduce the spread of the virus (t=16.52, df=2286, p<0.001). Among the preventive behaviors that respondents reported adopting, the most frequent were keeping away from crowded places (N=4863, 96.5%), using hand sanitizer or washing hands more often (N=4826, 95.8%), starting to clean or disinfect things they might touch (N=4482, 89.0%) and avoiding public transportation (N=4393, 87.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

Individual beliefs in the severity of the pandemic, the level of stress/anxiety, and protective knowledge for COVID-19 were significant indicators in the adoption of protective behaviors while the level of COVID-19 knowledge was weakly and negatively associated with these indicators. Demographic factors including age, gender, political affiliation, education level, and race were also significant indicators of behavioral compliance. Study findings can provide valuable insights that can be used to further increase behavioral compliance among the population during COVID-19.