Community Perception towards COVID_19 and Involuntary Social Distancing
Mahdi Saleh Hadi1, Hatem.K Mansour2, Bassam Ibraheem Hashim3,Hussein Jassim Mohammed4, Baraa Karim Mansour5, Mustafa Salah Hasan6
1.MSC in Nursing, Clinical nurse specialist in Ministry of Health and Environment at Babylon health directorate, Province Babylon, Iraq and al-Mustaqbal College University. Email:
2. MSC in Nursing, Clinical nurse specialist in Ministry of Health and Environment at Babylon health directorate, Province Babylon, Iraq Email: [email protected] 3. Pediatrician( C.A.B.P) in Ministry of Health and Environment at Babylon health directorate,
Province Babylon, Iraq Email: [email protected]
4. Prof. Community Health Nursing, University of Babylon, College of Nursing ,Iraq, Email:
5.Student, University of Alzahraa for Women, Collage of pharmacy, Province Babylon, Iraq, Email:
6. Assistant Professor Dr., University of Fallujah, College of Veterinary Medicine.
Email: [email protected]
Abstract
Background: COVID-19 is respiratory infection spread from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China and become international heath issue epidemic which the best way to protection of it is social distancing in present time
Aims: To investigate Iraqi Community Perception towards COVID_19 and Involuntary Social Distancing and found relationship between them.
Method : Electronic sheet through Google forms by convenience sampling and the responders participated in this study by Facebook
Results: About %99 of sample are believe that social distancing is Benefit to prevent COVID -19 to separate and (95.4%) of them that Covied-19 epidemic is Dangerous which there is a moderate positive correlation between variables.
Conclusion: The majority of sample sees that involuntary social distancing is a beneficial way to prevent spread COVID -19 among community and majority of them see that COVID-19 is very dangers, finally the results of study are indicated when the community sense that COVID - 19 seriousness hazard toward people therefore that involuntary social distancing is benefit protection way for COVID -19 growth.
Recommendation: The researchers recommended to increase instruction about Seriousness of the COVID -19 and explain to community that social distancing best way in present time to protection from infected by coronavirus
Keyword: COVID-19, Community Perception, Involuntary, Social Distancing 1. Introduction
COVID-19 is taken as “pneumonia of unknown etiology” developed in December 2019, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China[1].
The pathogen was proclaimed by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) on Jan 08, 2020, to be a unusual coronavirus, recently called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan in January 2020, and extent to the whole Hubei Province, the rest of China and abroad with amazing speed[2].
Today, " COVID-19" is frequently introduced with the word "novel," as it is a new strain in the family of coronaviruses which it indicated by the WHO, coronaviruses belong to a large family range from the Common Cold to dangerous diseases. These diseases can infect both humans and animals[3].
The strain of this virus that started spreading in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei region, is recognized from two different coronaviruses, i.e. severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). Symptoms of coronavirus infection go in seriousness from respiratory complication similar pneumonia, kidney disorder and progress of liquid in the lungs [4].
Social distancing is the practice to increase the space among individuals in order to decrease the accidental of spreading diseases . According to the CDC, spacing of 1.8 M away reductions the spread of COVID-19. Individuals action include working distantly, avoiding public transportation, and staying home. Also the ways of public communications are transition to online education , businesses temporarily closing, and using telecommunication[5]. Social distancing has been an important tool in decreasing infections and mortality during previous pandemics[6], which it is seems to have been effective against Covid-19 in China [7].
Social distancing also shows a role in declining the burden imposed on the healthcare system. In the absence of any intervention, there would be a rapid rise in the number of cases that could collapse the healthcare system's capacity, and force physicians to treat some patients over others[8] , beside the Involuntary Social Distancing it is use in India and given an effective measure towards curtailing spread the prevalence of infection of COVID-19[9].
It is crucial to assess psychological and behavioral responses to the situation and determine how perceived risk is linked to engagement in protective behaviors. Lab-based research has suggested that increased perceived effects of disease spread on others may increase
engagement in social distancing .Also the Social distancing is best strategies for prevelance the COVID-19 epidemic [10].
Like neighboring countries, Iraqi region was affected by the epidemic. The Iraqi government has, since the beginning of the crisis, adopted social distancing and curfew as a way to prevent the spread of infection, and we can see the difference in the number of infected person between Iraq community and its other surroundings countries.
WHO specified in 16 April that “two reasons in behind of increasing the number of cured person from COVID-19, the first was the efficiency of Iraqi doctors and nurses and the second was Iraq’s reliance on a treatment protocol is a mix between China and Iran”.
2. Methodology
2.1Ethical considerations
-Permission has been obtained online from responders to participate in study.
2.2 Design ,setting and sampling of study
A Descriptive-Correlation study which related to find relationship between involuntary social distancing and spread covid-19 upon view Iraqi citizens. The study Initiated from (March 30 th , 2020 – May 30 th , 2020). This study was conducted through a convenience sampling by ( 398 ) Iraqi citizens of self-report.
2.3 Instrument of study
The researchers were developing an instrument after a reviewing of recommendations of WHO about covid-19.
2.4 Data collection
The sample of the study was obtain by electronic sheet through Google forms, as well researchers posted the electronic sheet instrument on Facebook and share it in many Iraqi pages on Facebook
2.5 Statistical Analysis
The data analysis of this study is analyzed through using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version (24). The following statistical data analysis approaches were used in order to analyze data and assess the results of the study. The researchers used descriptive and
inferential data analysis to obtain results.
3. Results
The table (5325) shows that the sample are young with age group (25-35) years as revealed by highest percentage in age variable (50 %) and the average age is (32±8) years. The majority of sample are males (78.4%)
Regarding the marital level of education , the highest percentage is referring that sample is Bachelor or above (69.1%) while (79.6%) of them are living in urban area
Concerning the type monthly income, the high percentage (74.6%) is referring Fixed income.
The table (II) indicates that about 95.7% of Iraqi citizens are believe that involuntary social distancing is benefit to prevent covied-19 to seprate. The table (III) shows that (99%) of sample that COVID-19 epidemic is Dangerous .
This table(IV) indicates that the results are significant at (0. 01) levels. It also shows that there is a moderate positive correlation between involuntary social distancing and the seriousness of the Covied-19 toward Iraqi citizens. (P-value = 0. 00) at the (P ≤ 0.01) level of significanc.
4. Discussion
WHO was said that no vaccine or treatment for covid-19 available in present time and recommend that the best way to protection from cvied-19 is social distancing that lead all people around world to know this instruction, therefore about (95.7% ) of Iraqi citizen sample in this study follow this way and said this is benefit method in table(II), this result agree with study in China, they indicated in them study the social distancing at the possible earliest time with comprehensive and rigorous measures could significantly reduce the epidemic of COVID-19[11] . Also covid-19 is speed speared through person to person and vaccine or treatment for covid-19 in present time that enhance the perception of people that is dangerous disease(WHO,2020) which that lead Iraqi people to know about seriousness of the Covied-19 that explains the high perception (99%) toward dangerous sty of coronavirus in table(III).
Table(IV), regarding association between social distancing and seriousness of the Covied- 19 on view Iraq people, the result that positive relation between them, when individuals awareness protective behaviors as social distancing increase when they know that covied-19 is pandemic and more extent [12]. Social distancing may slow the spread of infectious disease, may allow the US health care system time to expand and prepare to respond to COVID-19, which it was correlated with a reducing in US COVID- 19 epidemic growth [13].
Conclusion
The researchers conclude that majority Iraqi people sample, 99% of them involuntary social distancing is a beneficial way to prevent spread COVID -19 among community. In addition most sample see that COVID-19 is very dangers toward health community, finally the results of study are indicated when the community sense that COVID -19 seriousness hazard toward people saw that Involuntary social distancing is benefit protection way for COVID -19 growth.
Recommendations
The researchers recommended to increase instruction about dangerous of COVID -19 and explain to community that social distancing best way in present time to protection from infected by coronavirus.
Table (I): Distribution of sample According to their Socio-demographic Characteristics
List Characteristics f %
1 Age
Average= 32 ± 8
15 – 25 years 86 21.6
25 – 35 years 202 50.8
45 – 45 years 79 19.8
45 – 55 years 25 6.3
55 – 65 years 6 1.5
Total 398 100
2 Gender Male 312 78.4
Female 86 21.6
Total 398 100
3 Level of education Primary school 11 2.8
Intermediate school 13 3.3
Secondary school 17 4.3
Diploma 82 20.6
Bachelor or above 275 69.1
Total 398 100
4
Residential Area
Urban 317 79.6
Rural 81 20.4
Total 398 100
5 Type monthly income Fixed 297 74.6
Limited 101 25.4
Total 398 100
f: Frequency, %: Percentage
Table (II): Community Perception towards Involuntary Social Distancing to prevent COVID-19 to seprated.
Levels F % M.S SD
Benefit 381 95.7
9.58 1.52
Non benefit 17 4.3
Total 398 100
f: Frequency, %: Percentage, M.S: Mean of score, SD: Standard Deviation benefit= 6-12, non benefit = 0-6
Table (III): The Community Perception for seriousness of the COVID-19 epidemic
Levels f % M.S SD
Dangerous 394 99.0
10.4 1.32
Non Dangerous 4 1.0
Total 398 100
f: Frequency, %: Percentage, M.S: Mean of score, SD: Standard Deviation Dangerous = 6.5 – 13, Non Dangerous =0 - 6.5
Table (IV): Correlation among Involuntary Social distancing and seriousness of the Covied-19 toward Iraqi citizens
Name of variable Mean STD- devotion
Pearson –correlation Value
r
p- value
P ≤
Social distancing 9.58 1.52
0.22** 0.00 sig
0.01 seriousness of the
Covied-19 10.4 1.32
P: Probability value, STD:stander devotion, r :correlation
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