<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_sjph-2021-0004_s_006">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>The first large outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in Europe occurred in Northern Italy in February 2020. The relatively fast spread of the infection to Slovenia was expected, and preventive measures for its suppression were widely discussed.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2021-0004_s_007">
<h3>Methods</h3>
<p>An online questionnaire was designed to evaluate adherence to preventive measures and the extent to which the taking of preventive measures was associated with people’s anxiety level, psychological burden, their perceived vulnerability to disease, germ aversion and a number of demographic characteristics in the early stage of Covid-19 spread. The survey was active for 24 hours (13–14 March 2020). There were 12,307 responses and 7,764 questionnaires were completed in full.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2021-0004_s_008">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>Higher preventive behaviour was found in individuals who experienced greater psychological distress, were more anxious, and expressed greater perceived infectability and germ aversion. Greater compliance with preventive behaviour was found among women, those sharing a household with people aged over 65, the elderly and those who knew somebody who had been infected. These groups also showed higher anxiety levels, which appeared to be significantly increased in general as a result of the specific situation. Quarantine was evaluated as the most efficient preventive measure, and was respected relatively strictly even before it became an officially announced protective measure.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2021-0004_s_009">
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>This research reveals a strong association between preventive behaviour and anxiety. Anxiety, together with social distancing, may affect physical and psychological health in the population in the long term. Other aspects of public health might therefore be influenced by the measures currently being enforced to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2.</p></sec></abstract>

Introduction
The first large outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in Europe occurred in Northern Italy in February 2020. The relatively fast spread of the infection to Slovenia was expected, and preventive measures for its suppression were widely discussed.

Methods
An online questionnaire was designed to evaluate adherence to preventive measures and the extent to which the taking of preventive measures was associated with people’s anxiety level, psychological burden, their perceived vulnerability to disease, germ aversion and a number of demographic characteristics in the early stage of Covid-19 spread. The survey was active for 24 hours (13–14 March 2020). There were 12,307 responses and 7,764 questionnaires were completed in full.

Results
Higher preventive behaviour was found in individuals who experienced greater psychological distress, were more anxious, and expressed greater perceived infectability and germ aversion. Greater compliance with preventive behaviour was found among women, those sharing a household with people aged over 65, the elderly and those who knew somebody who had been infected. These groups also showed higher anxiety levels, which appeared to be significantly increased in general as a result of the specific situation. Quarantine was evaluated as the most efficient preventive measure, and was respected relatively strictly even before it became an officially announced protective measure.

Conclusion
This research reveals a strong association between preventive behaviour and anxiety. Anxiety, together with social distancing, may affect physical and psychological health in the population in the long term. Other aspects of public health might therefore be influenced by the measures currently being enforced to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

Association between preventive behaviour and anxiety at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Preventivno vedenje in njegova povezanost z anksioznostjo v začetni fazi epidemije SARS-CoV-2 v Sloveniji

Introduction
The first large outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in Europe occurred in Northern Italy in February 2020. The relatively fast spread of the infection to...

Association between preventive behaviour and anxiety at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Dec 31, 2020

Page range: 17 - 24

Received: Jun 30, 2020

Accepted: Nov 04, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2021-0004

Keywords
SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, public health, preventive measures, preventive behaviour, anxiety, perceived, infectability

© 2021 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Association between preventive behaviour and anxiety at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Dec 31, 2020

Page range: 17 - 24

Received: Jun 30, 2020

Accepted: Nov 04, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2021-0004

KeywordsSARS-CoV-2 epidemic, public health, preventive measures, preventive behaviour, anxiety, perceived, infectability

© 2021 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, public health, preventive measures, preventive behaviour, anxiety, perceived, infectability