Factors Influencing Compliance with COVID-19 Health Measures: A Spanish Study to Improve Adherence Campaigns

Since the spread of the COVID-19 virus was declared a pandemic, different measures have been taken to control it, including frequent hand-washing, the use of face masks and social distancing. Given the importance of these measures, the present study aims to assess compliance with them in a Spanish sample of 722 people aged between 18 and 65 years. It also aims to determine which factors influence the levels of compliance observed. Participants complied more with the rules in the public spaces. The younger group had lower levels of compliance than the older group. No differences were found in accordance with sex. It was shown that overall, the agents that most influenced compliance were family, testimonials and friends and fines. Some differences were observed in relation to age, and significant sex differences were found in some of these factors, with women scoring higher than men. The results are discussed in terms of their usefulness for the design of information campaigns that seek to foster a greater degree of engagement by the entire population and, ultimately, greater control of the pandemic, in addition to serving as a basis for the early prevention of the spread of new viruses in the future.