IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i3p1952-d1042599.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Knowledge of Self-Isolation Rules in the UK for Those Who Have Symptoms of COVID-19: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Author

Listed:
  • Louise E. Smith

    (Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 9RJ, UK
    NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response, London SE5 9RJ, UK
    Current address: Department of Psychological Medicine, King’s College London, Weston Education Centre, Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RJ, UK.)

  • Robert West

    (Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK)

  • Henry W. W. Potts

    (Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London NW1 2DA, UK)

  • Richard Amlȏt

    (NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response, London SE5 9RJ, UK
    Behavioural Science and Insights Unit, UK Health Security Agency, London SW1P 3HX, UK)

  • Nicola T. Fear

    (Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 9RJ, UK
    Academic Department of Military Mental Health, King’s Centre for Military Health Research, London SE5 9RJ, UK)

  • G. James Rubin

    (Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 9RJ, UK
    NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response, London SE5 9RJ, UK)

  • Susan Michie

    (Centre for Behaviour Change, University College London, London WC1E 7HB, UK)

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate knowledge of self-isolation rules and factors associated with knowledge. Methods: Repeated cross-sectional online surveys (n ≈ 2000 UK adults) between 9 November 2020 and 16 February 2022 (78,573 responses from 51,881 participants). We computed a composite measure of knowledge of self-isolation rules and investigated associations between knowledge and survey wave, socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, UK nation, index of multiple deprivation), trust in government, and participants’ belief that they had received enough information about self-isolation. Results: In total, 87.9% (95% CI 87.7% to 88.1%, n = 67,288/76,562) of participants knew that if they had symptoms of COVID-19 they should ‘self-isolate’. However, only 62.8% (n = 48,058/76,562, 95% CI 62.4% to 63.1%) knew the main rules regarding what that meant. Younger people had less knowledge than older people, and men had less knowledge than women. Knowledge was lower in people living in England versus in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The pattern of association between knowledge and trust in government was unclear. Knowledge was lower in people living in a more deprived area and those who did not believe they had enough information about self-isolation. Knowledge was lower in December 2020 to January 2021, compared with before and after this period. Conclusions: Approximately 63% of UK adults between November 2020 and February 2022 appeared to know the main rules regarding self-isolation if symptomatic with COVID-19. Knowledge was lower in younger than older people, men than women, those living in England compared with Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, and those living in more deprived areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Louise E. Smith & Robert West & Henry W. W. Potts & Richard Amlȏt & Nicola T. Fear & G. James Rubin & Susan Michie, 2023. "Knowledge of Self-Isolation Rules in the UK for Those Who Have Symptoms of COVID-19: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-12, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:1952-:d:1042599
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/1952/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/1952/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:1952-:d:1042599. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.