Predictive Variables of Compliance with Preventive Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

With the spread of COVID-19 worldwide, preventive behaviors took on a key role in virus containment. In Spanish, the Ministry of Health approved a 14-week nationwide population lockdown from March 15th to June 20th, 2020. Approximately one month after the lockdown, from April 10th to 16th, the present study analyzed the risk perception based on age and gender and its relationship with preventive behavior compliance against the spread of COVID-19. The sample was constituted by 535 participants (67.9% women) distributed in two age groups: (42.4%) classified as young people (18-23 years) and (57.5%) as adults (40-65 years). Data were collected through an ad hoc online questionnaire. The results indicated that the perception of fear/anxiety and age predicted the adoption of preventive behaviors. Our study concludes that young people and people who experience less fear or anxiety of COVID-19 adopt fewer preventive health behaviors.