Comparing Fear of COVID-19 and Preventive COVID-19 Infection Behaviors Between Iranian and Taiwanese Older People: Early Reaction May Be a Key

Amir H. Pakpour; Amir H. Pakpour; Chieh-hsiu Liu; Wen-Li Hou; Wen-Li Hou; Yu-Pin Chen; Yu-Pin Chen; Yueh-Ping Li; Yi-Jie Kuo; Yi-Jie Kuo; Chung-Ying Lin; Chung-Ying Lin; Chung-Ying Lin; Damian Scarf

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.740333

Frontiers in Public Health (Sep 2021)

Comparing Fear of COVID-19 and Preventive COVID-19 Infection Behaviors Between Iranian and Taiwanese Older People: Early Reaction May Be a Key

Amir H. Pakpour,
Amir H. Pakpour,
Chieh-hsiu Liu,
Wen-Li Hou,
Wen-Li Hou,
Yu-Pin Chen,
Yu-Pin Chen,
Yueh-Ping Li,
Yi-Jie Kuo,
Yi-Jie Kuo,
Chung-Ying Lin,
Chung-Ying Lin,
Chung-Ying Lin,
Damian Scarf

Affiliations

Amir H. Pakpour: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
Amir H. Pakpour: Department of Nursing, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
Chieh-hsiu Liu: National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
Wen-Li Hou: Department of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Wen-Li Hou: Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Yu-Pin Chen: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Yu-Pin Chen: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Yueh-Ping Li: Department of Nursing, National Tainan Junior College of Nursing, Tainan, Taiwan
Yi-Jie Kuo: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Yi-Jie Kuo: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Chung-Ying Lin: Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
Chung-Ying Lin: 0Department of Public Health, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
Chung-Ying Lin: 1Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
Damian Scarf: 2Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.740333
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9

Abstract

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This study assessed fear of the novel coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19), preventive COVID-19 infection behaviors, and the association between fear of COVID-19 and preventive COVID-19 infection behaviors among older people in Iran and Taiwan. Older people aged over 60 years (n = 144 for Iranians and 139 for Taiwanese) completed the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and two items on preventive COVID-19 infection behaviors (i.e., hand washing and mouth covering when sneezing). Iranian older people had a significantly higher level of fear of COVID-19 than did Taiwanese older people. Moreover, Iranian older people had significantly lower frequencies of preventive COVID-19 infection behaviors than did Taiwanese older people. Different timings in implementing COVID-19 infection control policies in Iran and Taiwan may explain why Iranian older people had greater fear of COVID-19 and lower preventive COVID-19 infection behaviors than did Taiwanese older people.

Published in Frontiers in Public Health

ISSN: 2296-2565 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Public aspects of medicine
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health

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