Novel
Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and are in the process of generating evidence of effectiveness or may not yet be tested.

Fatalism in the context of COVID-19: perceiving coronavirus as a death sentence predicts reluctance to perform recommended preventive behaviors

Jimenez, T., Restar, A., Helm, P. J., Cross, R. I., Barath, D., & Arndt, J.

Release Date:

Peer Review Study

Data Collection and Analysis
Social and Community Context
Tools Included
Outside U.S.
Network of people

Partnerships and Collaboration

Jimenez and colleagues conducted an online survey in order to examine reluctance to follow prescribed COVID-19 preventive measures, such as social distancing and hand washing. Research is needed to understand factors underlying such reluctance, with the aim of developing targeted health interventions. The authors found that associating COVID-19 with death as a key factor. Five hundred and ninety participants completed surveys in mid-March 2020, which included attitudes toward COVID-19, preventive behavioral intentions, and sociodemographic factors. Associating coronavirus with death negatively predicted intentions to perform preventive behaviors, including social distancing and hand washing. Social distancing and hand washing were used as outcome measures in separate multivariate models. Further, associating COVID-19 with death was not evenly distributed throughout the sample and was related with a number of sociodemographic factors including age, race, and availability of sick leave.

Resource Details

Outcomes of Interest

Reduction of Health Disparities

Priority Population(s)

Setting(s) of Implementation

Community

Geographic Area of Implementation

Implementation Period

2020