Determinants of social distancing among South Africans from 12 days into the COVID-19 lockdown: a cross sectional study
SOURCE: Frontier in Public Health
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2021
TITLE AUTHOR(S): R.Sewpaul, M.Mabaso, N.Dukhi, I.Naidoo, N.Vondo, A.S.Davids, T.Mokhele, S.P.Reddy
KEYWORDS: COVID-19, COVID-19 LOCKDOWN, HEALTH, RISK BEHAVIOUR, SOCIAL DISTANCING
DEPARTMENT: Human and Social Capabilities (HSC), Deputy CEO: Research (DCEO_R), Deputy CEO: Research (ERKC), Deputy CEO: Research (CGI)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 12031
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/16071
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/16071
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2021
TITLE AUTHOR(S): R.Sewpaul, M.Mabaso, N.Dukhi, I.Naidoo, N.Vondo, A.S.Davids, T.Mokhele, S.P.Reddy
KEYWORDS: COVID-19, COVID-19 LOCKDOWN, HEALTH, RISK BEHAVIOUR, SOCIAL DISTANCING
DEPARTMENT: Human and Social Capabilities (HSC), Deputy CEO: Research (DCEO_R), Deputy CEO: Research (ERKC), Deputy CEO: Research (CGI)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 12031
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/16071
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/16071
If you would like to obtain a copy of this Research Output, please contact Hanlie Baudin at researchoutputs@hsrc.ac.za.
Abstract
Social or physical distancing has been an effective measure for reducing the spread of COVID-19 infections. Investigating the determinants of adherence to social distancing can inform public health strategies to improve the behaviour. However, there is a lack of data in various populations. This study investigates the degree to which South Africans complied with social distancing during the country's COVID-19 lockdown and identifies the determinants associated with being in close contact with large numbers of people. Data was collected from a South African national online survey on a data free platform, supplemented with telephone interviews. The survey was conducted from 8 to 29 April 2020. The primary outcome was the number of people that participants came into close contact with (within a 2-metre distance) the last time they were outside their home during the COVID-19 lockdown. Multivariate multinomial regression investigated the socio-demographic, psychosocial and household environmental determinants associated with being in contact with 1-10, 11-50 and more than 50 people. Of the 17,563 adult participants, 20.3% reported having not left home, 50.6% were in close physical distance with 1-10 people, 21.1% with 11-50 people, and 8.0% with >50 people. Larger household size and incorrect knowledge about the importance of social distancing were associated with being in contact with >50 people. Male gender, younger age and being in the White and Coloured population groups were significantly associated with being in contact with 1-10 people but not with larger numbers of people. Employment, at least secondary school education, lack of self-efficacy in being able to protect oneself from infection, and moderate or high risk perception of becoming infected, were all associated with increased odds of close contact with 1-10, 11-50, and >50 people relative to remaining at home. The findings identify subgroups of individuals that are less likely to comply with social distancing regulations. Public health communication, interventions and policy can be tailored to address these determinants of social distancing.-
Related Research Outputs:
- Social distancing behaviour: avoidance of physical contact and related determinants among South Africans: twelve days into the COVID-19 lockdown
- Trends in HIV testing and associated factors among men in South Africa: evidence from 2005, 2008 and 2012 national population-based household surveys
- Preventive health behavior, personality and religiosity among black and white South Africans
- Sensation seeking and alcohol use predict HIV transmission risks: prospective study of sexually transmitted infection clinic patients, Cape Town, South Africa
- Medical circumcision and manhood initiation rituals in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: a post intervention evaluation
- Preliminary findings from a longitudinal cohort of individuals aged 50+: health risk behaviour and NCD prevalence
- Chronic diseases risk factors and access to health exams among women in South Africa
- Dual protection, contraceptive use, HIV status and risk among a national sample of South African women
- South African national HIV prevalence, incidence, behaviour and communication survey, 2008: the health of our children
- Health behaviour interventions in developing countries
- Channels of interaction in health biotechnology networks in South Africa: who benefits and how?
- Physical inactivity and associated factors in older adults in South Africa
- Alcohol use, problem drinking and health risk factors among South African youths
- Sociodemographic predictors of multiple non-communicable disease risk factors among older adults in South Africa
- Non-infectious diseases pose an economic threat to healthcare
- Stunting, overweight and obesity in the very young: two sides of the coin
- A decade of tobacco control: the South African case of politics, health policy, health promotion and behaviour change
- Decision-making strategies: ignored to the detriment of healthcare training and delivery?
- Subjective happiness and health behavior among a sample of university students in India
- Prevalence of health risk behaviors and their associated factors among university students in Kyrgyzstan