Social contact patterns relevant for infectious disease transmission in Cambodia.

Social mixing patterns are key determinants of infectious disease transmission. Mathematical models parameterised with empirical data from contact pattern surveys have played an important role in understanding epidemic dynamics and informing control strategies, including for SARS-CoV-2. However, there is a paucity of data on social mixing patterns in many settings. We conducted a community-based survey in Cambodia in 2012 to characterise mixing patterns and generate setting-specific contact matrices according to age and urban/rural populations. Data were collected using a diary-based approach from 2016 participants, selected by stratified random sampling. Contact patterns were highly age-assortative, with clear intergenerational mixing between household members. Both home and school were high-intensity contact settings, with 27.7% of contacts occurring at home with non-household members. Social mixing patterns differed between rural and urban residents; rural participants tended to have more intergenerational mixing, and a higher number of contacts outside of home, work or school. Participants had low spatial mobility, with 88% of contacts occurring within 1 km of the participants' homes. These data broaden the evidence-base on social mixing patterns in low and middle-income countries and Southeast Asia, and highlight within-country heterogeneities which may be important to consider when modelling the dynamics of pathogens transmitted via close contact.

Luck perception is associated with less frequent preventive practices and a higher number of social contacts among adults during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Objectives: Non-pharmaceutical interventions have been crucial to reduce transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in many countries including the United Kingdom. A key research priority has been to better understand psychological and social determinants of health behaviours. We aimed to quantify the impact of luck perception on contact and preventive behaviours among adults in the UK, adjusting for key confounders. Study design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: Data were collected between July 28 and August 31, 2020. Luck perception, which refers to a belief whether individual's SARS-CoV-2 infection status is determined by fate or chance, was measured using Chance score, drawing on Health Locus of Control Theory. Self-reporting online questionnaires were administered to obtain participants' contact patterns and frequencies of avoiding crowds, hand washing and wearing a mask. Associations between luck perception and protective behaviours and contact patterns were quantified using regression models. Results: Data from 233 survey respondents were analysed. Chance score was negatively associated with all protective behaviours; avoiding crowds (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.25-0.86, p = 0.02), washing hands (aOR 0.35, 95%CI 0.17-0.70, p = 0.003), and wearing masks (aOR 0.58, 95%CI 0.34-0.99, p = 0.046). For non-physical contacts (with or without distancing), a significant interaction was identified between Chance score and ethnicity. Chance score increased the number of non-physical contacts among white British, an opposite trend was observed for non-white participants. Conclusions: Luck perception during the pandemic may affect individuals' health protection behaviours and contact patterns. Further mechanistic understandings of human behaviours against infectious diseases are indispensable for effective response to future pandemics.