Sociodemographic Predictors of Health Risk Perception, Attitude and Behavior Practices Associated with Health-Emergency Disaster Risk Management for Biological Hazards: The Case of COVID-19 Pandemic in Hong Kong, SAR China
by
Emily Ying Yang Chan 1,2,3,*
, Zhe Huang 1, Eugene Siu Kai Lo 1, Kevin Kei Ching Hung 1,4, Eliza Lai Yi Wong 3 and Samuel Yeung Shan Wong 3
Emily Ying Yang Chan 1,2,3,*, Zhe Huang 1, Eugene Siu Kai Lo 1, Kevin Kei Ching Hung 1,4, Eliza Lai Yi Wong 3 and Samuel Yeung Shan Wong 3
1
Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
2
Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX37BN, UK
3
JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
4
Accident & Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(11), 3869; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113869
Received: 28 April 2020 / Revised: 27 May 2020 / Accepted: 28 May 2020 / Published: 29 May 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (Health-EDRM))
In addition to top-down Health-Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (Health-EDRM) efforts, bottom-up individual and household measures are crucial for prevention and emergency response of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). There is limited scientific evidence of the knowledge, perception, attitude and behavior patterns of the urban population. A computerized randomized digital dialing, cross-sectional, population landline-based telephone survey was conducted from 22 March to 1 April 2020 in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. Data were collected for socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude and risk perception, and various self-reported Health-EDRM behavior patterns associated with COVID-19. The final study sample was 765. Although the respondents thought that individuals (68.6%) had similar responsibilities as government (67.5%) in infection control, less than 50% had sufficient health risk management knowledge to safeguard health and well-being. Among the examined Health-EDRM measures, significant differences were found between attitude and practice in regards to washing hands with soap, ordering takeaways, wearing masks, avoidance of visiting public places or using public transport, and travel avoidance to COVID-19-confirmed regions. Logistic regression indicated that the elderly were less likely to worry about infection with COVID-19. Compared to personal and household hygiene practices, lower compliance was found for public social distancing.
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Keywords:
COVID-19; urban; health risks; Health-Emergency and Disaster Risk Management; biological hazard; pandemic; PHEIC; Hong Kong
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MDPI and ACS Style
Chan, E.Y.Y.; Huang, Z.; Lo, E.S.K.; Hung, K.K.C.; Wong, E.L.Y.; Wong, S.Y.S. Sociodemographic Predictors of Health Risk Perception, Attitude and Behavior Practices Associated with Health-Emergency Disaster Risk Management for Biological Hazards: The Case of COVID-19 Pandemic in Hong Kong, SAR China. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 3869.
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