Behavioural changes during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of a nationwide survey in Singapore

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION@#As part of infection control measures for COVID-19, individuals have been encouraged to adopt both preventive (such as handwashing) and avoidant behavioural changes (e.g. avoiding crowds). In this study, we examined whether demographics predicted the likelihood that a person would adopt these behaviours in Singapore.@*METHODS@#A total of 1,145 participants responded to an online survey conducted between 7 March and 21 April 2020. We collected demographic information and asked participants to report which of 17 behaviour changes they had undertaken because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Regression analyses were performed to predict the number of behavioural changes (preventive, avoidant, and total) as a function of demographics. Finally, we sought to identify predictors of persons who declared that they had not undertaken any of these measures following the outbreak.@*RESULTS@#Most participants (97%) reported at least one behavioural change on account of the pandemic, with changes increasing with the number of local COVID-19 cases (@*CONCLUSION@#Our characterisation of behavioural changes provides a baseline for public health advisories. Moving forward, health authorities can focus their efforts on encouraging segments of the population who do not readily adopt infection control measures against COVID-19.