Factors Influencing COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors

COVID-19 remains a public health emergency with prevention guidelines and mitigation strategies being constantly updated to curb the rapid spread of the disease. Despite proven successes of recommended preventive behaviors, there is low uptake of wearing a mask, washing of hands, and social distancing in the United States (US). The purpose of this study was to examine factors that influence COVID-19 preventive behaviors. We used data from the nationally representative COVID-19 Household Impact Survey (n = 19,815) conducted in the US from April to June 2020. Chi-square (χ2) test and bivariate analyses were performed to compare study participants who used all COVID-19 related preventive behaviors and those who did not, and multivariate logistic regressions to determine associations across demographic and social characteristics. Of the 19,815 participants, 79.2% of participants reported practicing the aforementioned COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Further, non-Hispanic white, Spanish speaking, living in urban areas, of older age (60+), being female, having an education above an undergraduate, those with income levels $100K or more, living in the urban northeast region that trust and communicate frequently with family and neighbors were more likely to use all three preventive behaviors. Findings suggest a need for continued provision of information on prevention and vaccination importance, but expand efforts to target adopters of these behaviors and encourage them to share their uptake and adherence efforts. This type of horizontal communication where information is shared within trusted social networks can shape social norms that influence the uptake of COVID-19 preventive behaviors and slowly curb communal spread.