Understanding the social and cognitive influences on the adoption of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions: a survey of a Saudi Arabian sample
IntroductionCOVID-19 vaccines prevent death and severe illness, but not infection. Public health leaders continue to stress the importance of non-pharmaceutical intervention behaviors (NPIs). However, little is known about how social, environmental, and cognitive factors influence the adoption of NP...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
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| author | Ahmed Alobaydullah Ahmed Alobaydullah Andrew Scott LaJoie Susann Denise Thomas Raphael Fumey Abdulrahman Alsaleem Abdulrahman Alsaleem |
| author_facet | Ahmed Alobaydullah Ahmed Alobaydullah Andrew Scott LaJoie Susann Denise Thomas Raphael Fumey Abdulrahman Alsaleem Abdulrahman Alsaleem |
| author_sort | Ahmed Alobaydullah |
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| description | IntroductionCOVID-19 vaccines prevent death and severe illness, but not infection. Public health leaders continue to stress the importance of non-pharmaceutical intervention behaviors (NPIs). However, little is known about how social, environmental, and cognitive factors influence the adoption of NPIs.MethodsA theory-informed survey was distributed to adults living in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The primary focus is self-reported adherence with NPIs. Socio-environmental factors included observational learning, social norms, and media. Personal cognitive factors included self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, and knowledge.ResultsThe mean age was 31 years (n = 368), most participants were males (62%), and the study sample were significantly more vaccinated (40%) than the Saudi public (5.3%). NPIs were strongly correlated with social norms (r = 0.73, p < 0.001), and positively correlated with self-efficacy (r = 0.25, p < 0.001). Females reported higher NPIs adherence rates (M = 17.04, SD = 3.86) than males (M = 16.29, SD = 4.12). The hierarchical multiple regression model revealed that socio-environmental factors explained a significant proportion of variance in NPIs (R2 = 0.52, p < 0.001).DiscussionThe findings highlight the usefulness of a social cognitive model in predicting NPIs. The study shows that social factors, especially social norms, significantly influence the adoption of NPIs. Hence, health organizations should consider social factors when developing campaigns against current and future infectious diseases. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-e25be12d94f443378e0d4d98e2e2ad162025-08-20T03:32:15ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-06-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15889311588931Understanding the social and cognitive influences on the adoption of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions: a survey of a Saudi Arabian sampleAhmed Alobaydullah0Ahmed Alobaydullah1Andrew Scott LaJoie2Susann Denise Thomas3Raphael Fumey4Abdulrahman Alsaleem5Abdulrahman Alsaleem6Emergency Medical Services Program, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Al Ahsa, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Al Ahsa, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United StatesDepartment of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United StatesDepartment of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United StatesEmergency Medical Services Program, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Al Ahsa, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Al Ahsa, Saudi ArabiaIntroductionCOVID-19 vaccines prevent death and severe illness, but not infection. Public health leaders continue to stress the importance of non-pharmaceutical intervention behaviors (NPIs). However, little is known about how social, environmental, and cognitive factors influence the adoption of NPIs.MethodsA theory-informed survey was distributed to adults living in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The primary focus is self-reported adherence with NPIs. Socio-environmental factors included observational learning, social norms, and media. Personal cognitive factors included self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, and knowledge.ResultsThe mean age was 31 years (n = 368), most participants were males (62%), and the study sample were significantly more vaccinated (40%) than the Saudi public (5.3%). NPIs were strongly correlated with social norms (r = 0.73, p < 0.001), and positively correlated with self-efficacy (r = 0.25, p < 0.001). Females reported higher NPIs adherence rates (M = 17.04, SD = 3.86) than males (M = 16.29, SD = 4.12). The hierarchical multiple regression model revealed that socio-environmental factors explained a significant proportion of variance in NPIs (R2 = 0.52, p < 0.001).DiscussionThe findings highlight the usefulness of a social cognitive model in predicting NPIs. The study shows that social factors, especially social norms, significantly influence the adoption of NPIs. Hence, health organizations should consider social factors when developing campaigns against current and future infectious diseases.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1588931/fullpreventive behaviorsCOVID-19social cognitive theorynon-pharmaceutical interventionssocial normsSaudi Arabia |
| spellingShingle | Ahmed Alobaydullah Ahmed Alobaydullah Andrew Scott LaJoie Susann Denise Thomas Raphael Fumey Abdulrahman Alsaleem Abdulrahman Alsaleem Understanding the social and cognitive influences on the adoption of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions: a survey of a Saudi Arabian sample Frontiers in Public Health preventive behaviors COVID-19 social cognitive theory non-pharmaceutical interventions social norms Saudi Arabia |
| title | Understanding the social and cognitive influences on the adoption of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions: a survey of a Saudi Arabian sample |
| title_full | Understanding the social and cognitive influences on the adoption of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions: a survey of a Saudi Arabian sample |
| title_fullStr | Understanding the social and cognitive influences on the adoption of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions: a survey of a Saudi Arabian sample |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding the social and cognitive influences on the adoption of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions: a survey of a Saudi Arabian sample |
| title_short | Understanding the social and cognitive influences on the adoption of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions: a survey of a Saudi Arabian sample |
| title_sort | understanding the social and cognitive influences on the adoption of covid 19 non pharmaceutical interventions a survey of a saudi arabian sample |
| topic | preventive behaviors COVID-19 social cognitive theory non-pharmaceutical interventions social norms Saudi Arabia |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1588931/full |
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