Adherence to preventive behaviors related to Covid-19 in Taiwan in 2020-2021: a population-based follow-up survey

ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic was associated with significant changes in preventive behaviors worldwide. We conducted a cohort follow-up survey to understand these behavioral changes in Taiwan during 2020 and 2021. MethodsA population-based survey with three follow-up rounds was implemented among individuals aged 20 and older. The survey included questions about perceptions of COVID-19 risk and adherence to preventive behaviors promoted by the Taiwan CDC in its New Life Strategies. ResultsBetween July and September 2020, a period with no local COVID-19 cases, adherence to indoor and outdoor social distancing was 51.5% and 63.5%, respectively, while 81.4% of people indicated they would wear facial masks if social distancing could not be practiced. In stratified analysis, females and the elderly exhibited significantly higher adherence to most of the preventive measures. We observed an increase in adherence to preventive behaviors from 2020 to the middle of 2021, with no signs of fatigue. ConclusionsThe survey provided critical empirical evidence on the adherence to preventive behaviors in the general population in Taiwan during the first two years of the pandemic. As non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) are essential measures during the early stage of any pandemic, we believe that regular monitoring of preventive behaviors could serve as a foundation for pandemic preparedness. More efforts are needed to identify the most feasible and cost-effective methods for surveillance of preventive behaviors.