University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Health Promot J Austr. 2021 Apr;32(2):344-351. doi: 10.1002/hpja.443. Epub 2020 Dec 15.
With no efficacious treatments or vaccines available, social distancing measures remain the most effective approach for reducing the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. However, adherence to social distance measures presumably requires knowledge and understanding of the current social distancing restrictions.
A modified version of the Theory of Planned Behaviour examined the role of knowledge and understanding of current social distancing measures in predicting intentions to adhere to social distancing restrictions. An online survey was administered to respondents (N = 374) in Melbourne, Australia during a period of heightened social distancing restrictions. In addition to measuring respondents' general intentions to adhere to restrictions, vignettes were used to assess intended behaviour in specific situations.
Knowledge of social distancing restrictions predicted intentions to adhere in specific situations, but not general intentions to adhere. Knowledge of restrictions also predicted positive attitudes towards current restrictions and a greater perceived ability to adhere to the restrictions, while positive attitudes was a good predictor of both general and specific intentions to adhere.
The findings suggest that attitudes towards restrictions may influence whether individuals attempt to adhere to restrictions, but knowledge of the restrictions influences whether the intended behaviour actually adheres to current restrictions. SO WHAT?: These outcomes indicate that members of the public should be educated regarding the negative consequences associated with the COVID-19 virus and the capacity of social distancing to reduce transmission of the virus, and a need for social distancing restrictions to be uncomplicated and clearly communicated.
由于目前尚无有效的治疗方法或疫苗，因此保持社交距离措施仍然是减少 COVID-19 病毒传播的最有效方法。但是，遵守社交距离措施可能需要了解当前的社交距离限制。
计划行为理论的修正版本考察了对当前社交距离措施的了解和认识在预测遵守社交距离限制的意愿方面的作用。在澳大利亚墨尔本实行更严格的社交距离限制期间，通过在线调查的方式对受访者（N=374）进行了调查。除了衡量受访者普遍遵守限制的意愿外，还使用情景描述来评估特定情况下的预期行为。
对社交距离限制的了解可以预测在特定情况下的遵守意愿，但不能预测普遍遵守意愿。对限制的了解还可以预测对当前限制的积极态度和更大的遵守限制的感知能力，而积极的态度是普遍和特定遵守意愿的良好预测指标。
这些发现表明，对限制的态度可能会影响个人是否试图遵守限制，但是对限制的了解会影响预期行为是否实际上符合当前限制。因此：这些结果表明，应该向公众宣传与 COVID-19 病毒相关的负面后果以及社交距离对减少病毒传播的能力，并且需要使社交距离限制变得简单明了并得到清晰传达。
