How South African Families Protected Themselves during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

Babatope O. Adebiyi, Gift T. Donga, Bernard Omukunyi and Nicolette V. Roman
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Babatope O. Adebiyi: Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Families and Society, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 8001, South Africa
Gift T. Donga: Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Families and Society, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 8001, South Africa
Bernard Omukunyi: Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Families and Society, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 8001, South Africa
Nicolette V. Roman: Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Families and Society, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 8001, South Africa

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a cluster of cases of ‘viral pneumonia’—‘Coronavirus Disease 2019’ (COVID-19)—in Wuhan City, the People’s Republic of China on 31 December 2019. To curb the spread of the virus, various containment measures were introduced. However, no study has explored how families protected themselves during the pandemic. Therefore, this study explored how families protected themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic using a qualitative exploratory design. Thirty-one adult participants, representing families in the Western Cape province of South Africa, were virtually interviewed. The sampling approach was both convenient and snowball. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The results show that families followed and adapted to the mainstream protection measures as implemented by the South African government but in addition believed that adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions would protect them from contracting the virus. Therefore, the government and other stakeholders should support families in making it easier to protect themselves during the current and future pandemic(s).

Keywords: South African families; COVID-19 pandemic; non-pharmaceutical interventions; protection; qualitative study; interview; COVID-19 containment measures; government lockdown regulations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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