A survey on the COVID-19-related prevention behaviors and psychological status among Macao residents

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To explore the Macao residents' perceived risk of being infected by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), their preventing behaviors, and their psychological health status during the epidemic. Method: An online survey was conducted with 3,236 Macao residents from February 6 to 14, 2020. Results: The respondents were worried about being infected but had confidence in the outbreak control in Macao. Most of them were aware of the importance in taking prevention measures and actively followed the prevention guide suggested by the government. Such psychological symptoms as "sad" and "anxious" were relatively common among the respondents, but few of them felt "helpless". Those respondents who were more worried about the risk of being infected than others were more likely to have the prevention behaviors. Meanwhile, the more worried they were, the more likely they were to show psychological symptoms. Those who had "irrational panic-buying" behaviors were most likely to have psychological symptoms. Conclusion: Macao residents' psychological symptoms are associated with their prevention behaviors. Excessive worry and irrational behaviors affect residents' psychological health and their daily life. The worrying residents need to relax and adjust properly to maintain physical and psychological health.