Factors Related to COVID-19 Preventive Behaviour in Population of Latvia. Summary of the Doctoral Thesis

Abstract

The aim of the Doctoral Thesis was to study the factors related to COVID-19 preventive behaviour in the population of Latvia. The Thesis was developed in two stages. Stage one theoretically established and empirically tested an integrated model of factors related to COVID-19 preventative behaviour, stage two theoretically established and empirically tested an integrated model of factors related to COVID-19 vaccination behaviour.Sample. The first stage used data from a sample of Latvian residents (n = 2608), aged 18 to 74 (M = 46.42, SD = 13.86). The second stage used data from a representative sample of the population of Latvia (n = 1017), by administrative territorial division, aged 18 to 75 years (M = 46.53, SD = 16.22).Instrumentary. The first stage of the study assessed COVID-19 preventive behaviour, trust in COVID-19 information sources, fear of COVID-19, assessment of COVID-19 threats, belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories. The second stage of the study dealt with: COVID-19 vaccination behaviour, rationale for vaccination, perceived vulnerability, fear of COVID-19, institutional trust, perceived social support from the immediate family and perceived social support from acquaintances.Procedure. The first stage of the study used data from the Institute of Public Health National research programme (NRP) project “Impact of COVID-19 on health care system and public health in Latvia; ways in preparing health sector for future epidemics” poll “Evaluation of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on mental health”. The data was collected by research centre KANTAR, organising an internet survey in July, 2020. The second stage used data from the NRP “Life with COVID-19: Evaluation of overcoming the coronavirus crisis in Latvia and recommendations for societal resilience in the future”. The data was collected by research centre SKDS, organising direct interviews at respondents’ places of residence in September, 2021.Results. The results of the first stage of the Doctoral Thesis revealed, that COVID-19 preventive behaviour is associated with an assessment of COVID-19 threats, trust in COVID-19 information sources and fear of COVID-19, but not with belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories. Among the sociodemographic factors, age (older age) and gender (female), but not education, region (location of residence) and employment status, are associated with preventive behaviour for COVID-19. Stage two results revealed that motives to protect themselves from illness, to protect other people from illness and to promote collective immunity, to continue to working and / or study, as well as institutional trust and education (higher education), are associated with COVID-19 vaccination behaviour. Perceived social support from relatives is negatively linked to vaccination behaviour, while perceived vulnerability, fear of COVID-19, perceived social support from acquaintances, age and gender are not factors related to COVID-19 vaccination behaviour.Conclusions. COVID-19 preventive behaviour is associated with assessment of COVID-19 threats, fear of COVID-19, trust in COVID-19 information sources, age (higher age) and gender (female gender). COVID-19 vaccination behaviour is associated with motives to get vaccinated to protect yourself from illness, to protect other people from illness and to promote collective immunity, to continue to working and/or study, as well as institutional trust and level of education (higher education).