Political stringency, infection rates, and higher education students' adherence to government measures in the Nordic countries and the UK during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak

Understanding predictors of adherence to governmental measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 is fundamental to guide health communication. This study examined whether political stringency and infection rates during the first wave of the pandemic were associated with higher education students...

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Published in:Preventive Medicine
Main Authors: Berg-Beckhoff, G., Bask, M., Jervelund, S.S., Guldager, J.D., Quickfall, A., Rabiee-Khan, Fatemeh, Oddsson, G., van der Wel, K.A., Sarasjärvi, K.K., Olafsdottir, S., Buffel, V., Skalická, V., Van de Velde, S.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/13581/
http://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/13581/1/adherence_COVID19_%20Nordic%20countries%202022.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743522002948
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107245
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spelling ftbirminghamcuni:oai:www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk:13581 2023-05-15T16:48:47+02:00 Political stringency, infection rates, and higher education students' adherence to government measures in the Nordic countries and the UK during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak Berg-Beckhoff, G. Bask, M. Jervelund, S.S. Guldager, J.D. Quickfall, A. Rabiee-Khan, Fatemeh Oddsson, G. van der Wel, K.A. Sarasjärvi, K.K. Olafsdottir, S. Buffel, V. Skalická, V. Van de Velde, S. 2022-09-06 text http://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/13581/ http://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/13581/1/adherence_COVID19_%20Nordic%20countries%202022.pdf https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743522002948 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107245 en eng Elsevier http://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/13581/1/adherence_COVID19_%20Nordic%20countries%202022.pdf Berg-Beckhoff, G. and Bask, M. and Jervelund, S.S. and Guldager, J.D. and Quickfall, A. and Rabiee-Khan, Fatemeh and Oddsson, G. and van der Wel, K.A. and Sarasjärvi, K.K. and Olafsdottir, S. and Buffel, V. and Skalická, V. and Van de Velde, S. (2022) Political stringency, infection rates, and higher education students' adherence to government measures in the Nordic countries and the UK during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak. Preventive Medicine, 164. p. 107245. ISSN 0091-7435 doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107245 cc_by_4 CC-BY CAH01-01-02 - medicine (non-specific) CAH02-06-01 - health sciences (non-specific) Article PeerReviewed 2022 ftbirminghamcuni https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107245 2022-09-22T22:08:42Z Understanding predictors of adherence to governmental measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 is fundamental to guide health communication. This study examined whether political stringency and infection rates during the first wave of the pandemic were associated with higher education students' adherence to COVID-19 government measures in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, and Sweden) and the United Kingdom. Both individual- and country-level data were used in present study. An international cross-sectional subsample (n = 10,345) of higher-education students was conducted in May–June 2020 to collect individual-level information on socio-demographics, study information, living arrangements, health behaviors, stress, and COVID-19-related concerns, including adherence to government measures. Country-level data on political stringency from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker and national infection rates were added to individual-level data. Multiple linear regression analyses stratified by country were conducted. Around 66% of students reported adhering to government measures, with the highest adherence in the UK (73%) followed by Iceland (72%), Denmark (69%), Norway (67%), Finland (64%) and Sweden (49%). Main predictors for higher adherence were older age, being female and being worried about getting infected with COVID-19 (individual-level), an increase in number of days since lockdown, political stringency, and information about COVID-19 mortality rates (country-level). However, incidence rate was an inconsistent predictor, which may be explained by imperfect data quality during the onset of the pandemic. We conclude that shorter lockdown periods and political stringency are associated with adherence to government measures among higher education students at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Article in Journal/Newspaper Iceland Birmingham City University: BCU Open Access Norway Preventive Medicine 164 107245
institution Open Polar
collection Birmingham City University: BCU Open Access
op_collection_id ftbirminghamcuni
language English
topic CAH01-01-02 - medicine (non-specific)
CAH02-06-01 - health sciences (non-specific)
spellingShingle CAH01-01-02 - medicine (non-specific)
CAH02-06-01 - health sciences (non-specific)
Berg-Beckhoff, G.
Bask, M.
Jervelund, S.S.
Guldager, J.D.
Quickfall, A.
Rabiee-Khan, Fatemeh
Oddsson, G.
van der Wel, K.A.
Sarasjärvi, K.K.
Olafsdottir, S.
Buffel, V.
Skalická, V.
Van de Velde, S.
Political stringency, infection rates, and higher education students' adherence to government measures in the Nordic countries and the UK during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak
topic_facet CAH01-01-02 - medicine (non-specific)
CAH02-06-01 - health sciences (non-specific)
description Understanding predictors of adherence to governmental measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 is fundamental to guide health communication. This study examined whether political stringency and infection rates during the first wave of the pandemic were associated with higher education students' adherence to COVID-19 government measures in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, and Sweden) and the United Kingdom. Both individual- and country-level data were used in present study. An international cross-sectional subsample (n = 10,345) of higher-education students was conducted in May–June 2020 to collect individual-level information on socio-demographics, study information, living arrangements, health behaviors, stress, and COVID-19-related concerns, including adherence to government measures. Country-level data on political stringency from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker and national infection rates were added to individual-level data. Multiple linear regression analyses stratified by country were conducted. Around 66% of students reported adhering to government measures, with the highest adherence in the UK (73%) followed by Iceland (72%), Denmark (69%), Norway (67%), Finland (64%) and Sweden (49%). Main predictors for higher adherence were older age, being female and being worried about getting infected with COVID-19 (individual-level), an increase in number of days since lockdown, political stringency, and information about COVID-19 mortality rates (country-level). However, incidence rate was an inconsistent predictor, which may be explained by imperfect data quality during the onset of the pandemic. We conclude that shorter lockdown periods and political stringency are associated with adherence to government measures among higher education students at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Berg-Beckhoff, G.
Bask, M.
Jervelund, S.S.
Guldager, J.D.
Quickfall, A.
Rabiee-Khan, Fatemeh
Oddsson, G.
van der Wel, K.A.
Sarasjärvi, K.K.
Olafsdottir, S.
Buffel, V.
Skalická, V.
Van de Velde, S.
author_facet Berg-Beckhoff, G.
Bask, M.
Jervelund, S.S.
Guldager, J.D.
Quickfall, A.
Rabiee-Khan, Fatemeh
Oddsson, G.
van der Wel, K.A.
Sarasjärvi, K.K.
Olafsdottir, S.
Buffel, V.
Skalická, V.
Van de Velde, S.
author_sort Berg-Beckhoff, G.
title Political stringency, infection rates, and higher education students' adherence to government measures in the Nordic countries and the UK during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak
title_short Political stringency, infection rates, and higher education students' adherence to government measures in the Nordic countries and the UK during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak
title_full Political stringency, infection rates, and higher education students' adherence to government measures in the Nordic countries and the UK during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak
title_fullStr Political stringency, infection rates, and higher education students' adherence to government measures in the Nordic countries and the UK during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak
title_full_unstemmed Political stringency, infection rates, and higher education students' adherence to government measures in the Nordic countries and the UK during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak
title_sort political stringency, infection rates, and higher education students' adherence to government measures in the nordic countries and the uk during the first wave of the covid-19 outbreak
publisher Elsevier
publishDate 2022
url http://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/13581/
http://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/13581/1/adherence_COVID19_%20Nordic%20countries%202022.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743522002948
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107245
geographic Norway
geographic_facet Norway
genre Iceland
genre_facet Iceland
op_relation http://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/13581/1/adherence_COVID19_%20Nordic%20countries%202022.pdf
Berg-Beckhoff, G. and Bask, M. and Jervelund, S.S. and Guldager, J.D. and Quickfall, A. and Rabiee-Khan, Fatemeh and Oddsson, G. and van der Wel, K.A. and Sarasjärvi, K.K. and Olafsdottir, S. and Buffel, V. and Skalická, V. and Van de Velde, S. (2022) Political stringency, infection rates, and higher education students' adherence to government measures in the Nordic countries and the UK during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak. Preventive Medicine, 164. p. 107245. ISSN 0091-7435
doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107245
op_rights cc_by_4
op_rightsnorm CC-BY
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107245
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