Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
Published in: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine 1/2024

Open Access 14-04-2023 | Public Health | Integrative Review

Behavioural Sciences Contribution to Suppressing Transmission of Covid-19 in the UK: A Systematic Literature Review

Authors: Gill Hubbard, Chantal den Daas, Marie Johnston, Jennifer Dunsmore, Mona Maier, Rob Polson, Diane Dixon

Published in: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine | Issue 1/2024

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Governments have relied on their citizens to adhere to a variety of transmission-reducing behaviours (TRBs) to suppress the Covid-19 pandemic. Understanding the psychological and sociodemographic predictors of adherence to TRBs will be heavily influenced by the particular theories used by researchers. This review aims to identify the theories and theoretical constructs used to understand adherence to TRBs during the pandemic within the UK social and legislative context.

Methods

A systematic review identified studies to understand TRBs of adults in the UK during the pandemic. Identified theoretical constructs were coded to the Theoretical Domains Framework. Data are presented as a narrative summary.

Results

Thirty-five studies (n = 211,209) investigated 123 TRBs, applied 13 theoretical frameworks and reported 50 sociodemographic characteristics and 129 psychological constructs. Most studies used social cognition theories to understand TRBs and employed cross-sectional designs. Risk of sampling bias was high. Relationships between constructs and TRBs varied, but in general, beliefs about the disease (e.g. severity and risk perception) and about TRBs (e.g. behavioural norms) influenced behavioural intentions and self-reported adherence. More studies than not found that older people and females were more adherent.

Conclusions

Behavioural scientists in the UK generated a significant and varied body of work to understand TRBs during the pandemic. However, more use of theories that do not rely on deliberative processes to effect behaviour change and study designs better able to support causal inferences should be used in future to inform public health policy and practice.

Prospero Registration

CRD42021282699.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
West R, Michie S, Rubin GJ, Amlot R. Applying principles of behaviour change to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Nat Hum Behav. 2020;4(5):451–9.PubMedCrossRef
2.
Ferguson N, Laydon D, Nedjati-Gilani G. Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID-19 mortality and healthcare demand. In: London. 2020.
3.
4.
Davis R, Campbell R, Hildon Z, Hobbs L, Michie S. Theories of behaviour and behaviour change across the social and behavioural sciences: a scoping review. Health Psychol Rev. 2015;9(3):323–44.PubMedCrossRef
5.
Weston D, Ip A, Amlot R. Examining the application of behaviour change theories in the context of infectious disease outbreaks and emergency response: a review of reviews. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):1483.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
6.
Prentice-Dunn S, Rogers RW. Protection Motiviation Theory and preventive health: beyond the Health Belief Model. Health Educ Res. 1986;1:153–61.CrossRef
7.
Floyd DL, Prentice-Dunn S, Rogers RW. a meta-analysis of research on protection motivation theory. J Appl Soc Psychol 2000;30(2):407–429.
8.
Milne S, Sheeran P. ORBELL S: Prediction and intervention in health-related behavior: a meta-analytic review of protection motivation theory. J Appl Soc Psychol. 2000;30(1):106–43.CrossRef
9.
10.
Michie S, West R, Campbell R, Brown J, Gainforth H. ABC of behaviour change theories. Great Britain,: Silverback; 2014.
11.
Cane J, O’Connor D, Michie S. Validation of the theoretical domains framework for use in behaviour change and implementation research. Implement Sci. 2012;7:37.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
12.
Petherick A, Goldszmidt R, Andrade EB, Furst R, Hale T, Pott A, Wood A. A worldwide assessment of changes in adherence to COVID-19 protective behaviours and hypothesized pandemic fatigue. Nat Hum Behav. 2021.
13.
14.
Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, Group P. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. J Clin Epidemiol. 2009;62(10):1006–12.CrossRef
15.
Downes MJ, Brennan ML, Williams HC, Dean RS. Development of a critical appraisal tool to assess the quality of cross-sectional studies (AXIS). BMJ Open. 2016;6(12): e011458.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
16.
Campbell M, McKenzie JE, Sowden A, Katikireddi SV, Brennan SE, Ellis S, Hartmann-Boyce J, Ryan R, Shepperd S, Thomas J, et al. Synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) in systematic reviews: reporting guideline. BMJ (Clinical research ed). 2020;368: l6890.PubMed
17.
18.
Dixon D, Den Daas C, Hubbard G, Johnston M. Using behavioural theory to understand adherence to behaviours that reduce transmission of COVID-19; evidence from the CHARIS representative national study. Brit J Health Psy. 2021.
19.
Norman P, Wilding S, Conner M. Reasoned action approach and compliance with recommended behaviours to prevent the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the UK. Br J Health Psychol. 2020;25(4):1006–19.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
20.
Schüz B, Conner M, Wilding S, Alhawtan R, Prestwich A, Norman P. Do socio-structural factors moderate the effects of health cognitions on COVID-19 protection behaviours? Soc Sci Med. 2021;285:N.PAG-N.PAG.
21.
Eraso Y, Hills S. Intentional and unintentional non-adherence to social distancing measures during COVID-19: a mixed-methods analysis. PLoS ONE. 2021;16(8):e0256495.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
22.
Hills S, Eraso Y. Factors associated with non-adherence to social distancing rules during the COVID-19 pandemic: a logistic regression analysis. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):352.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
23.
Smith LE, Potts HWW, Amlot R, Fear NT, Michie S, Rubin GJ. Adherence to the test, trace, and isolate system in the UK: results from 37 nationally representative surveys. Brit. Med. J. 2021;372.
24.
Eraso Y, Hills S. Self-isolation and quarantine during the UKʼs first wave of Covid-19. A mixed-methods study of non-adherence. Int J Environ Res Pub Health. 2021;18(13):7015.
25.
Wright L, Steptoe A, Fancourt D. Predictors of self-reported adherence to COVID-19 guidelines. A longitudinal observational study of 51,600 UK adults. Lancet Reg. 2021;4:100061.
26.
Smith LE, Amlȏt R, Lambert H, Oliver I, Robin C, Yardley L, Rubin GJ. Factors associated with adherence to self-isolation and lockdown measures in the UK: a cross-sectional survey. Public Health (Elsevier). 2020;187:41–52.CrossRef
27.
Maher PJ, MacCarron P, Quayle M. Mapping public health responses with attitude networks: the emergence of opinion-based groups in the UKʼs early COVID-19 response phase. Br J Soc Psychol. 2020;59(3):641–52.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
28.
Jorgensen F, Bor A, Petersen MB. Compliance without fear: individual-level protective behaviour during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Br J Health Psychol. 2021;26(2):679–96.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
29.
Juanchich M, Sirota M, Jolles D, Whiley LA. Are COVID-19 conspiracies a threat to public health? Psychological characteristics and health protective behaviours of believers. Eur J Soc Psychol. 2021.
30.
Margraf J, Brailovskaia J, Schneider S. Behavioral measures to fight COVID-19: an 8-country study of perceived usefulness, adherence and their predictors. PLoS ONE. 2020;15(12 December).
31.
Shiina A, Igarashi Y, Hashimoto K, Niitsu T, Idemoto K, Sasaki T, Iyo M, Kobori O, Hashimoto T, Nakazato M, et al. Perception of and anxiety about COVID-19 infection and risk behaviors for spreading infection: an international comparison. Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2021;20(1):13.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
32.
Coroiu A, Moran C, Campbell T, Geller AC. Barriers and facilitators of adherence to social distancing recommendations during COVID-19 among a large international sample of adults. PLoS ONE. 2020;15(10):e0239795–e0239795.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
33.
Carlucci L, D’Ambrosio I, Balsamo M. Demographic and attitudinal factors of adherence to quarantine guidelines during COVID-19: the Italian model. Front Psychol. 2020;11: 559288.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
34.
Szwarcwald CL, Souza Júnior PRB, Malta DC, Barros MBA, Magalhães M, Xavier DR, Saldanha RF, Damacena GN, Azevedo LO, Lima MG, et al. Adherence to physical contact restriction measures and the spread of COVID-19 in Brazil. Epidemiol Serv Saude. 2020;29(5): e2020432.PubMedCrossRef
35.
Hwang YS, Jo HS. Associations between compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions and social-distancing policies in Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Prev Med Public Health. 2021;54(4):230–7.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
36.
Gouin JP, MacNeil S, Switzer A, Carrese-Chacra E, Durif F, Knäuper B. Socio-demographic, social, cognitive, and emotional correlates of adherence to physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study. Can J Public Health. 2021;112(1):17–28.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
37.
Gualda E, Krouwel A, Palacios-Gálvez M, Morales-Marente E, Rodríguez-Pascual I, García-Navarro EB. Social distancing and COVID-19: factors associated with compliance with social distancing norms in Spain. Front Psychol. 2021;12: 727225.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
38.
Mukhlis H, Widyastuti T, Harlianty RA, Susanti S, Kumalasari D. Study on awareness of COVID-19 and compliance with social distancing during COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. J Community Psychol. 2022;50(3): 1564–78. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1002/​jcop.​22735. Epub 2021 Oct 29.
39.
Ebrahimi OV, Hoffart A, Johnson SU. Viral mitigation and the COVID-19 pandemic: factors associated with adherence to social distancing protocols and hygienic behaviour. Psychol Health. 2021:1–24.
40.
Bish A, Michie S. Demographic and attitudinal determinants of protective behaviours during a pandemic: a review. Br J Health Psychol. 2010;15(Pt 4):797–824.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
41.
Fridman I, Lucas N, Henke D, Zigler CK. Association between public knowledge about COVID-19, trust in information sources, and adherence to social distancing: cross-sectional survey. JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2020;6(3): e22060.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
42.
Rana IA, Bhatti SS, Aslam AB, Jamshed A, Ahmad J, Shah AA. COVID-19 risk perception and coping mechanisms: Does gender make a difference? Int J Disaster Risk Reduct. 2021;55: 102096.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
43.
Davies R, Mowbray F, Martin AF, Smith LE, Rubin GJ. A systematic review of observational methods used to quantify personal protective behaviours among members of the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the concordance between observational and self-report measures in infectious disease health protection. BMC Public Health. 2022;22(1):1436.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
44.
Noone C, Warner NZ, Byrne M, Durand H, Lavoie KL, McGuire BE, McSharry J, Meade O, Morrissey E, Molloy GJ, et al. A scoping review of research on the determinants of adherence to social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Psychol Rev. 2021;15(3):350–70.PubMedCrossRef
45.
Beeckman M, De Paepe A, Van Alboom M, Maes S, Wauters A, Baert F, Kissi A, Veirman E, Poppe L, Van Ryckeghem DML. Adherence to the physical distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic: a HAPA-based perspective. Appl Psychol Health Well Being. 2020;12(4):1224–43.PubMedCrossRef
46.
Sheeran P. Intention—behavior relations: a conceptual and empirical review. Eur Rev Soc Psychol. 2002;12(1):1–36.CrossRef
47.
Al-Sabbagh MQ, Al-Ani A, Mafrachi B, Siyam A, Isleem U, Massad FI, Alsabbagh Q, Abufaraj M. Predictors of adherence with home quarantine during COVID-19 crisis: the case of health belief model. Psychol Health Med. 2021;1–13.
48.
Reinders Folmer CP, Brownlee MA, Fine AD, Kooistra EB, Kuiper ME, Olthuis EH, de Bruijn AL, van Rooij B. Social distancing in America: understanding long-term adherence to COVID-19 mitigation recommendations. PLoS ONE. 2021;16(9): e0257945.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
49.
Hansen AC, Farewell CV, Jewell JS, Leiferman JA. Exploring predictors of social distancing compliance in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2021:1–7.
50.
Sheeran P, Webb TL. The intention–behavior gap. Soc Personal Psychol Compass. 2016;503–518.
51.
Schwarzer R, Luszczynska A. How to overcome health-compromising behaviors. Eur Psychol. 2008;13(2):141–51.CrossRef
52.
53.
Bodas M, Peleg K. Self-isolation compliance in the COVID-19 era influenced by compensation: findings from a recent survey in Israel. Health Aff (Millwood). 2020;39(6):936–41.PubMedCrossRef
54.
Armitage CJ, Keyworth C, Leather JZ, Byrne-Davis L, Epton T. Identifying targets for interventions to support public adherence to government instructions to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2. BMC Pub Health. 2021;21(1).
55.
Atchison C, Bowman LR, Vrinten C, Redd R, Pristera P, Eaton J, Ward H. Early perceptions and behavioural responses during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey of UK adults. BMJ Open. 2021;11(1): e043577.PubMedCrossRef
56.
Bacon AM, Corr PJ. Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United Kingdom: A personality-based perspective on concerns and intention to self-isolate. Br J Health Psychol. 2020;25(4):839–48.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
57.
Bowman L, Kwok KO, Redd R, Yi Y, Ward H, Wei WI, Atchison C, Wong SY-S. Comparing public perceptions and preventive behaviors during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom: cross-sectional survey study. J Med Internet Res. 2021;23(3):N.PAG-N.PAG.
58.
Dowthwaite L, Fischer J, Perez Vallejos E, Portillo V, Nichele E, Goulden M, McAuley D. Public adoption and trust in the Covid-19 contact tracing app in the UK: a survey study. J Med Int Res. 2021.
59.
Fujii R, Suzuki K, Niimi J. Public perceptions, individual characteristics, and preventive behaviors for COVID-19 in six countries: a cross-sectional study. Environ Health Prev Med. 2021;26(1):29.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
60.
Galasso V, Pons V, Profeta P, Becher M, Brouard S, Foucault M. Gender differences in COVID-19 attitudes and behavior: panel evidence from eight countries. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2020;117(44):27285–91.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
61.
Jain V, Waghorn M, Thorn-Heathcock R, Lamb P, Bell A, Addiman S. Attendance at London workplaces after symptom onset: a retrospective cohort study of staff members with confirmed COVID-19. J Public Health. 2021;43(2):236–42.CrossRef
62.
Keyworth C, Epton T, Byrne-Davis L, Leather JZ, Armitage CJ. What challenges do UK adults face when adhering to COVID-19-related instructions? Cross-sectional survey in a representative sample. Preventive Med. 2021;147:N.PAG-N.PAG.
63.
Lawson A, Cameron R, Vaganay-Miller M. An evaluation of the hand hygiene behaviour and compliance of the general public when using public restrooms in northern ireland (Ni) during the initial weeks of the novel coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(12):6385.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
64.
MacIntyre CR, Nguyen P-Y, Chughtai AA, Trent M, Gerber B, Steinhofel K, Seale H. Mask use, risk-mitigation behaviours and pandemic fatigue during the COVID-19 pandemic in five cities in Australia, the UK and USA: a cross-sectional survey. International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases. 2021;106:199–207.PubMed
65.
Margraf J, Brailovskaia J, Schneider S. Behavioral measures to fight COVID-19: an 8-country study of perceived usefulness, adherence and their predictors. PLoS ONE. 2020;15(12 December):e0243523.
66.
Perrotta D, Grow A, Rampazzo F, Cimentada J, Del Fava E, Gil-Clavel S, Zagheni E. Behaviours and attitudes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: insights from a cross-national Facebook survey. EPJ data science. 2021;10(1):17.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
67.
Schneider CR, Dryhurst S, Kerr J, Freeman ALJ, Recchia G, Spiegelhalter D, van der Linden S. COVID-19 risk perception: a longitudinal analysis of its predictors and associations with health protective behaviours in the United Kingdom. J Risk Res. 2021;24(3–4):294–313.CrossRef
68.
Smith LE, Rubin GJ, Mottershaw AL, Egan M, Waller J, Marteau TM. The impact of believing you have had COVID-19 on self-reported behaviour: cross-sectional survey. PLoS ONE. 2020;15(11 November):e0240399.
69.
Swami V, Barron D. Rational thinking style, rejection of coronavirus (COVID-19) conspiracy theories/theorists, and compliance with mandated requirements: direct and indirect relationships in a nationally representative sample of adults from the United Kingdom. J Pac Rim Psycholog. 2021;15.
70.
Woelfert FS, Kunst JR. How political and social trust can impact social distancing practices during COVID-19 in unexpected ways. Front Psychol. 2020;11: 572966.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
71.
Wright L, Fancourt D. Do predictors of adherence to pandemic guidelines change over time? A panel study of 22,000 UK adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prev Med. 2021;153: 106713.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
72.
Krekel C, Swanke S, De Neve J, Fancourt D. Are happier people more compliant? Global evidence from three large-scale surveys during Covid-19 lockdowns. In: Disucssion paper series, Bonn, Germany: Institue of Labor Economics; 2020.
73.
74.
75.
Metadata
Title
Behavioural Sciences Contribution to Suppressing Transmission of Covid-19 in the UK: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors
Gill Hubbard
Chantal den Daas
Marie Johnston
Jennifer Dunsmore
Mona Maier
Rob Polson
Diane Dixon
Publication date
14-04-2023
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine / Issue 1/2024
Print ISSN: 1070-5503
Electronic ISSN: 1532-7558
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-023-10171-4

Other articles of this Issue 1/2024

International Journal of Behavioral Medicine 1/2024 Go to the issue

Brief Report

Veteran Beliefs About the Causes of Gulf War Illness and Expectations for Improvement

Full length manuscript

Predicting Adolescents’ Physical Activity Intentions: Testing an Integrated Social Cognition Model

Brief Report

Associations Among Stress, Internalized Weight Stigma, Emotional Eating, and Body Composition in Active-Duty Service Members Enrolling in a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Weight Management Program

Full length manuscript

The Relationship Between Parent Fear of Hypoglycemia and Youth Glycemic Control Across the Recent-Onset Period in Families of Youth with Type 1 Diabetes

Full Length Manuscript

Depression Negatively Impacts Dyadic Quality of Life Following Neuro-ICU Admission: A Prospective Study of Cognitively Intact Patients and Caregivers

Full length manuscript

Obsessive–Compulsive Symptomatology and Disgust Propensity in Disordered Eating Behaviors of Adolescents with Celiac Disease