Precautionary Behavior Practices and Psychological Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients and Quarantined Persons

Yubin Lee, Byung-Woo Kim, Shin-Woo Kim, Hyunjin Son, Boyoung Park, Heeyoung Lee, Myoungsoon You and Moran Ki
Additional contact information
Yubin Lee: Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Byung-Woo Kim: Department of Cancer Control and Population Health, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang 10408, Korea
Shin-Woo Kim: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, Korea
Hyunjin Son: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan 49201, Korea
Boyoung Park: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
Heeyoung Lee: Center for Preventive and Public Health, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 13620, Korea
Myoungsoon You: Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Moran Ki: Department of Cancer Control and Population Health, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang 10408, Korea

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: Background: since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first reported in 2019, South Korea has enforced isolation of patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19, as well as quarantine for close contacts of individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 and persons traveling from abroad, in order to contain its spread. Precautionary behavior practices and psychological characteristics of confirmed and quarantined persons were investigated for planning pandemic recovery and preparedness. Methods: this study was conducted with 1716 confirmed patients and quarantined persons in Daegu and Busan, regions where a high number of cases were confirmed during the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea. We collected online survey data from 23 April to 20 May 2020, in Daegu, and 28 April to 27 May 2020, in Busan, in cooperation with Daegu and Busan Infectious Disease Control Centers and public health centers in the regions. COVID-19 symptoms, pre-cautionary behavior practices, psychological states, and the need for improvement in isolation/quarantine environments were examined using an online survey. Results: compared to patients infected with coronavirus, quarantined persons engaged in more hygiene-related behaviors (e.g., hand washing, cough etiquette, and proper mask-wearing) and social distancing. COVID-19 patients had a strong fear of stigma, while quarantined persons had a strong fear of contracting COVID-19. Study participants responded that it was necessary to provide financial support and adequate information during isolation/quarantine. Conclusions: the study highlights the importance of precautionary behavior to prevent COVID-19 infection and the need to provide support (both psychological and financial) to patients and quarantined persons, to reinforce effective communication, social solidarity, and public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) in a pandemic situation.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; quarantine; isolation; public health emergency preparedness; online survey of patients and contacts (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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