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. 2023 Jun:5:100370.
doi: 10.1016/j.puhip.2023.100370. Epub 2023 Feb 15.

Cross-sectional survey of compliance behaviour, knowledge and attitudes among cases and close contacts during COVID-19 pandemic

Patricia M Kearney  1 , Danko Stamenic  1 , Katarzyna Gajewska  1 , Margaret B O'Sullivan  2 , Sarah Doyle  2 , Orlaith O'Reilly  3 , Claire M Buckley  1
Affiliations

Cross-sectional survey of compliance behaviour, knowledge and attitudes among cases and close contacts during COVID-19 pandemic

Patricia M Kearney et al. Public Health Pract (Oxf). 2023 Jun.

Abstract

Objectives: A key public health intervention is self-isolation for cases and restriction of movement for contacts. This study aimed to identify predictors of compliance behaviour and describe knowledge and attitudes among cases and contacts identified by the national Contact Management Programme to inform the global public health response.

Study design: Secondary data analysis of anonymised cross-sectional survey data on national sample of cases and close contacts.

Methods: A sample of 1000 cases and 1000 contacts was calculated to estimate compliance within a margin of error of 3% with 95% confidence. A telephone survey administered by trained interviewers collected information on socio-demographics, compliance behaviours, knowledge, and attitudes to COVID-19 from cases and close contacts. Data analysis included chi-squared statistics and multivariable logistic regression.

Results: Most cases and contacts complied with public health guidance with similar characteristics in those who did and did not comply. Reasons for non-compliance included exercise, medical appointment, shopping, and work. Cases and contacts reported high levels of understanding about symptoms of COVID-19 and satisfaction with available information.

Conclusion: Achieving high compliance with public health guidance is feasible and requires political leadership, policy changes and practical solutions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Inclusion of cases and contacts *60 cases reported being a close contact and having symptoms.
Fig. 2 (a)
Fig. 2 (a)
Symptomatic cases compliance with self-isolation before the test *Nine symptomatic cases did not provide an answer to the question “After you started feeling this way, but BEFORE you were tested, did you leave your home for any reason?” ROL = rest of Leinster.
Fig. 2 (b)
Fig. 2 (b)
Compliance among cases after testing and before the test result.
Fig. 2 (c)
Fig. 2 (c)
Compliance among cases after testing positive.
Fig. 2 (d)
Fig. 2 (d)
Compliance with restriction of movements by contacts.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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