Abstract

TOME, Gina et al. National study of health behavior change during COVID-19 pandemic: focus on handwashing”. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2022, vol.23, n.1, pp.141-153.  Epub Apr 30, 2022. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/22psd230114.

The “Health behavior change during COVID-19 pandemic: the focus on handwashing” project aimed to 1) analyze whether the guidelines advised by the WHO on hand washing during the COVID-19 pandemic were followed, 2) its cognitive predictors (perceived self-efficacy of hand washing, risk perception, outcome expectation, intention, planning and action control) and also 3) anxiety symptoms. In Portugal, data collection for the initial phase took place between May and June 2020. 408 individuals were surveyed, of which 74.5% (N=304) are female, aged between 18 and 81 years, with a mean age of 37.63 years (SD=12.54), 54.7% (n=223) of the individuals were not quarantined when they completed the questionnaire. There were no significant differences with age for self-efficacy, expected result, action plan, intention, coping, handwashing behavior and behavior change, and there was a significantly higher perception of risk in the age group between 30 and 49 years and significantly higher monitoring in the 50-81 age group. The 18-29 age group had a higher mean of anxiety. The results of the scales proposed in the HAPA model suggest a developmental trajectory with greater anxiety in the younger (18-29 years), greater risk perception in the intermediate age (30-49 years) and greater monitoring in the elderly (over 50 years).

Keywords : Handwashing Portugal; health; COVID; Wellbeing.

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