Educational Disparities in COVID-19 Prevention in China: The Role of Contextual Danger, Perceived Risk, and Interventional Context.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
; 18(7)2021 03 24.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1154400
ABSTRACT
Despite the social disparities in COVID-19 infection, little is known about factors influencing social disparities in preventive behaviors during the pandemic. This study examined how educational disparities in mask-wearing, handwashing, and limiting public outings might be contingent upon three factors contextual cue of danger, perceived risk of local outbreak, and interventional context with different levels of intensity (i.e, Wuhan vs. other areas). Data were obtained from a telephone survey of 3327 adults, who were recruited through a random-digit-dial method to be representative of all cell phone users in China. Interviews were conducted from 28 April to 26 May 2020. Stratified multiple regression models showed that educational disparities in all three behaviors were only consistently observed among people exposed to context cues of danger, with an enhanced sense of risk of a local outbreak, or in areas other than Wuhan. College education seems to make a difference in handwashing regardless of contextual cues of danger or perception of risk. The findings suggested that, in the process of an epidemic, emerging threats in one's immediate environment or raised awareness of risks are important conditions triggering educational disparities in prevention. However, effective public health interventions could potentially reduce such disparities.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ijerph18073383
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