Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 6, 2025

Setup of Consumer Wearable Devices for Exposure and Health Monitoring in Population Studies
Published on: February 3, 2023
Correlation of Population Factors, Compliance with Masking and Social Distance, Vaccination, and COVID-19 Infection
J Suzanne Moore1, Hibah Virk1, Jeffrey A Summers1
1From the Department of Internal Medicine, East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine, Johnson City.
Objectives:
Compliance with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) guidelines, including the use of masks and social distancing and vaccinations, has been poor. Our study examined what factors may identify those who will be more or less compliant, especially in regard to those with identified higher risk.
Methods:
A telephone survey of 200 adult patients from two practices, one general internal medicine and the other rheumatology, was performed in May and June 2021. Questions included age, sex, perception of immunocompetence, smoking history, mask and social distancing compliance, COVID-19 symptoms and/or test-proven infection, and immunization status for COVID-19. Those agreeing to participate also underwent chart review for body mass index, physician-assessed immunocompetence, and diabetes mellitus.
Results:
No clinical factors approached statistical significance for the prediction of compliance or noncompliance. Compliance with mask and social distancing highly correlated with vaccination and avoidance of infection, however.
Conclusions:
Attempts to improve compliance cannot be focused on any of the particular groups examined in this study.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
Correlation
Two variables, for example, a and b, are said to be positively correlated if both variables move in the same direction. In other words, a positive correlation exists between two variables, a and b, if:
Bias in Epidemiological Studies
Principles of Disease Surveillance
Confounding in Epidemiological Studies

