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Review paper

Adherence to preventive behaviours and risk of COVID-19 infection: a case-control study

By
Reza Hosseinabadi ,
Reza Hosseinabadi

Social Determinants of Health Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran

Shoorangiz Biranvand ,
Shoorangiz Biranvand

Social Determinants of Health Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran

Khatereh Anbari Orcid logo
Khatereh Anbari
Contact Khatereh Anbari

Social Determinants of Health Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran

Abstract

Aim
To investigate the relationship between adherence to preventive behaviors and risk of COVID-19 infection.
Methods
In this case-control study, 491 participants were selected through convenience sampling. First, the samples of the case
group (COVID-19 patients) were selected, and then the control group was matched with the case group based on age, gender, and occupation. The criteria for diagnosing COVID-19 for the case group were self-reported positive PCR test or lung involvement on a chest CT scan. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results, and an odds ratio was calculated to quantify the magnitude of the association using a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a p<0.05.
Results
The results showed that, compared to those who always wear a mask, the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 was 3.153 times higher in those who used no masks (95% CI: 0.953-10.434) and 3.779 times higher in those who used masks occasionally (95% CI:1.929-7.37). The participants who never observed physical distancing and handwashing were 2.25 times more likely to get COVID-19 than those who always observed (95% CI:1.719-4.954; OR=2.258).
Conclusion
Participants who fail in following the protective measures, especially wearing a mask regardless of its type, had
a higher risk of COVID-19 infection. Therefore, it is recommended to use a mask consistently, especially during the peak of COVID-19 waves.

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