IJERPH, Vol. 19, Pages 12194: Typology and Characteristics of COVID-19 Preventive Measures Implementation (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health)

More than a year and a half has passed since the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic began, but according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the end is still a long way off. People must incorporate infection prevention behaviors into their daily lives, and the question for the future will not be whether or not to take countermeasures but how thoroughly to do so. In this study, I conducted an online survey of 1,200 Japanese adults and identified four patterns of implementation of preventive measures. Those who took the most preventive measures were highly alert to the risk of COVID-19 and had strong anxiety about infection. They also positively evaluated risk management by medical institutions and the government, and they had positive feelings in their daily lives. On the other hand, those who took minimal measures, mainly mask wearing and handwashing, and those who took less than minimal measures did not feel much risk or anxiety about COVID-19. However, they evaluated the responses of the government and medical institutions less highly and reported having more negative feelings in their daily lives.