Role of knowledge, behavior, norms, and e-guidelines in controlling the spread of COVID-19: evidence from Pakistan

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 28; no. 30; pp. 40329 - 40345
• Main Authors: Raza, Ali, Ali, Qamar, Hussain, Tanveer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.08.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Aversion; Coefficients; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease control; Disease transmission; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental factors; Environmental Factors and the Epidemics of COVID-19; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Global economy; Guidelines; Humans; Multivariate statistical analysis; Norms; Pakistan; Pandemics; Prevention; Public health; Risk aversion; Risk management; Risk taking; Sanitizers; SARS-CoV-2; Signs and symptoms; Surveys and Questionnaires; Viral diseases; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Pakistan; Environment; Pandemic; SARS-CoV-2; Behavior; COVID-19 knowledge; PLS-SEM
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10931-9

The COVID-19 pandemic is straining public health systems and the global economy, triggering unprecedented measures by governments around the globe. The adoption of a preventive measure is required to control the spread. This research explores the impact of influencing factors like COVID-19 knowledge, behavioral control, moral and subject norms, preventive e-guidelines by the government, and environmental factors on the intention to prevent COVID-19 and risk aversion. A cross-sectional study was performed of 310 respondents about different COVID-19 related influencing factors in Pakistan. The partial least square-structural equation modeling was applied to estimate the path coefficient. Moral and subject norms (0.359) had a comparatively higher path coefficient. Other influencing factors/drivers were preventive e-guideline by the government (0.215) followed by COVID-19 knowledge (0.197), and behavioral control (0.121). The intention to prevent COVID-19 showed a positive and significant impact (0.705) on risk aversion. The indirect analysis also confirmed that the positive influence of moral and subject norms, COVID-19 knowledge, preventive e-guideline by the government, and behavioral control on risk aversion. However, the path coefficient of environmental factors was negative but insignificant, which implies than environmental factors do not influence the intention to prevent COVID-19. It is suggested to provide clear guidelines using print, social, electronic media. It is also suggested to provide e-guidelines in local languages. The COVID-19 knowledge about its transmission, symptoms, and precautions is also useful. It is suggested to include the causes, symptoms, and precaution of viral diseases in the educational syllabus. The government should ensure the availability of preventive medical items like surgical masks and sanitizers to meet the demand of the public.