Psychosocial correlates of face-touching mitigation behaviors in public and private

Jiahua Yang; Andy J King; Deena Kemp; Michael Mackert; Alison G Cahill; Mike Henson-García; Lindsay M Bouchacourt

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2022.01.005

Psychosocial correlates of face-touching mitigation behaviors in public and private

Am J Infect Control. 2022 Jul;50(7):834-837. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2022.01.005. Epub 2022 Jan 23.

Authors

Jiahua Yang¹, Andy J King², Deena Kemp³, Michael Mackert⁴, Alison G Cahill⁵, Mike Henson-García⁶, Lindsay M Bouchacourt⁷

Affiliations

¹ The Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Center for Health Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TXs, USA. Electronic address: jhyang@utexas.edu.
² Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
³ The Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
⁴ The Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Center for Health Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TXs, USA; Department of Population Health, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
⁵ Department of Women's Health, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Medical Park Tower, Austin, TX, USA.
⁶ Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth Science Center School of Public Health, Dallas Regional Campus, Dallas, TX, USA.
⁷ The Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations, Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Center for Health Communication, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TXs, USA.

Abstract

This study investigates psychosocial factors that influence people's face-touching mitigation behaviors. A nationwide survey was conducted online, and the results showed that perceived risk severity of touching face, and barriers and self-efficacy of not touching face were stable predictors. COVID-19 was related to a higher likelihood of mitigation behavior in public spaces. This study provides important implications to health communication and promotion for COVID-19 and general infection control.

Keywords: COVID-19; Hand hygiene; Health beliefs; Health communication; Psychosocial factors.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / prevention & control
Health Behavior
Health Communication*
Humans
Infection Control
SARS-CoV-2
Surveys and Questionnaires