COVID-19 health precautions: Identifying demographic and socioeconomic disparities and changes over time

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has required the adoption of precautionary health behaviours to reduce the risk of infection. This study examines adherence, as well as changes in adherence, to four key precautionary behaviours among Canadian adults: wearing face masks, social distancing, hand washing, and avoiding large crowds. Data are drawn from Series 3 and 4 of the nationally representative Canadian Perspectives Survey Series, administered by Statistics Canada in June and July 2020. We calculate overall adherence levels as well as changes over time. Logistic regression models estimate each behaviour as a function of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics in order to identify adherence disparities across population segments. We find a nearly universal increase in precautionary behaviours from June to July in mask wearing (67.3% to 83.6%), social distancing (82.4% to 89.2%), and avoiding crowds (84.1% to 88.9%); no significant change occurred for the frequency of hand washing. We observe significant disparities in adherence to precautionary behaviours, especially for mask-wearing, in June; women, older, immigrant, urban, and highly educated adults were significantly more likely to adhere to precautionary behaviours than men, younger, Canadian-born, rural, and low-educated adults. By July 2020, these disparities persisted or slightly attenuated; women, however, had consistently higher adherence to all behaviours at both time points. These findings have substantial implications for policy and potential public health interventions.