Adina Coroiu|Chelsea Moran|Tavis S. Campbell|Alan C. Geller
Barriers and facilitators of adherence to social distancing recommendations during COVID-19 among a large international sample of adults
Harvard University|University of Calgary|University of Calgary|Harvard University
social distancing measures eg avoiding travel limiting physical contact people outside ones household maintaining 1 2metre distance self others public depending country primary strategies used prevent transmission sarscov2 virus causes covid19 given effective treatment vaccine covid19 important identify barriers facilitators adherence social distancing inform ongoing future public health campaignsthis crosssectional study conducted online convenience sample englishspeaking adults survey administered course three weeks march 30 april 16 2020 social distancing measures wellenforced north america europe participants asked complete measures assessing sociodemographic characteristics psychological constructs including motivations engage social distancing prosocial attitudes distress social distancing behaviors descriptive mean standard deviation percentage inferential statistics logistic regression used describes endorsement rates various motivations rates adherence social distancing recommendations predictors adherencedata collected 2013 adults living primarily north america europe frequently endorsed motivations engage social distancing facilitators included want protect others 86 want protect 84 feel sense responsibility protect community 84 frequently endorsed motivations social distancing barriers included many people walking streets area 31 friends family need run errands 25 dont trust messages government provides pandemic 13 feel stressed alone isolation 13 adherence social distancing recommendations ranged 45 working home remotely 90 avoiding crowded placesnonessential travel men younger individuals 1824 years showing lower adherence compared women older individualsthis study found adherence social distancing recommendations vary depending behaviour none surveyed behaviours showing perfect adherence strongest facilitators included wanting protect self feeling responsibility protect community able workstudy remotely strongest barriers included friends family needed help running errands socializing order avoid feeling lonely future interventions improve adherence social distancing measures couple individuallevel strategies targeting key barriers social distancing identified herein effective institutional measures public health interventions public health campaigns continue highlight compassionate attitudes towards social distancing