Public’s use of PPE and Strategies to avoid Contagion during COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia and Germany
Dr Stéphane Bouchoucha1, Professor Petra Buchwald2, Professor Kathleen Moore3
1Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
2Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Germany
3Federation University, Churchill, Australia
Introduction: The significant media coverage of the prevalence and morbidity rates of SARS-CoV-2 has raised public awareness of Infection Prevention and Control strategies related to communicable diseases. The aims in this study were to investigate the strategies people in Australian and Germany use, and situations they avoid, to protect themselves from contracting COVID-19.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 213 Australian and 424 German participants completed items designed for this study.
Results: Principal Components Analyses using the Australian data revealed two independent and reliable Protection from Infection factors: Self-Care and Protective Behaviours, and one Infection Avoidance factor. The construct validity of the scales was supported by confirmatory factor analysis using the German data. A comparison of the two samples revealed that Australian participants scored higher overall on protection and avoidance strategies but at the item level there were several commonalities.
Conclusions: Commonalities at the micro level included self-care behaviours people adopted to avoid contracting COVID-19. On the Infection Avoidance Scale, both samples avoided public transport, restaurants and cafés, and large groups, typical areas of possible contagion. The German sample reported higher scores on avoiding shaking hands, hugging, and touching their face while the Australian sample scored higher on avoiding travel, avoiding leaving the house either generally or unless for work or school, as well as avoiding people who sneeze or cough. With no foreseeable end to this pandemic, it is important follow-up studies ascertain whether people continue to adopt PPE and follow government advice or if fatigue sets in.
Biography:
Dr Bouchoucha is the Associate Head of School (International) in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Deakin University. He has over 25 years of experience in the clinical setting and academia, with a focus on critical care, leadership and Infection Prevention and Control.