Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-23-2021
Department
Biological Sciences
School
Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences
Abstract
Objective: To describe COVID-19 related symptoms and medical care experienced in the first six months of the pandemic as well as stay-at-home order adherence, and attitudes related to COVID-19 risk and social distancing among a diverse sample of adults in the Deep South.
Methods: Survey data were collected from 411 Louisiana and Mississippi residents for three weeks in June 2020 through social media.
Results: Over half (52.5%) of participants who experienced COVID-19 related symptoms (with 41.5% experiencing at least one symptom) did not feel the severity of symptoms warranted seeking medical care. 91.6% of the Deep South adults visited certain places or did activities where visiting or gathering with other people was involved during stay-at-home mandates. Religiosity/spirituality, age, education, number of children in the home, attitudes related to COVID-19 risk of complications and social distancing were related to the greater/lesser likelihood of stay-at-home order adherence.
Conclusions: Various cultural and contextual factors were related to stay-at-home order adherence. Understanding how social values, life stage, socioeconomic, and geographic factors influence stay-at-home order adherence would lead to more effective policy design to improve population adherence.
Publication Title
BMC Public Health
Volume
21
Issue
1
Recommended Citation
Lemacks, J.,
Greer, T.,
Aras, S.,
Abbott, L.,
Willis, D.,
Gipson, J.,
Elasri, M.
(2021). Social Determinants of Health Related To Stay-At-Home Order Adherence and Social Distancing Attitudes Among a Diverse Deep South Population. BMC Public Health, 21(1).
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/19589