“Put a Mask and Keep a Distance” – A Study of Determinants of Protective Behavior against COVID-19 Disease in the Republic of Croatia

Abstract

In this paper we analyse determinants of protective behaviour, trust in institutions, risk perception of COVID-19 and sociodemographic characteristics. The study was conducted via computer-assisted telephone interviewing from August till October 2020 among a nationally representative sample of 1,212 respondents aged 18 and older in Croatia. The findings suggest that statistically significant determinants of protective behaviour are: age (the elderly), gender (women), presence of preschool children in the household (positive association), assessment of the risk of infection (greater perceived danger results in greater adherence), assessment of their own health (those with poorer health adhere more), experience of the COVID-19 disease (those with more immediate experience adhere more) and trust in the National Civil Protec-tion Headquarters and scientists (greater trust results in greater adherence to measures). Just over half of the respondents estimate that SARS-CoV-2 infection is extremely dangerous com-pared to 17% of respondents who believe that the danger is small or none. Most respondents expressed trust in all five institutions and systems for which trust was measured-the greatest trust is in scientists, and lowest in the media.