Table 3.
Association between preventive measures and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 4180).
| Preventive Measures | M (SD) | Psychological Distress | t | p | Effect Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No (N = 1171) |
Yes (N = 3009) |
|||||
| Covering mouth with elbow when coughing or sneezing | 4.25 (0.98) | 4.19 (0.92) | 4.27 (0.86) | −2.836 | 0.005 | 0.091 |
| Avoiding sharing utensils (e.g., fork) during meals | 4.32 (1.13) | 4.26 (1.19) | 4.34 (1.10) | −2.089 | 0.037 | 0.071 |
| Washing hands with soap and water | 4.73 (0.52) | 4.69 (0.56) | 4.74 (0.50) | −2.380 | 0.017 | 0.097 |
| Washing hands with hydroalcoholic solution | 3.49 (1.25) | 3.26 (1.29) | 3.58 (1.22) | −7.592 | <0.001 | 0.258 |
| Washing hands immediately after coughing, sneezing or rubbing nose | 3.64 (1.14) | 3.54 (1.17) | 3.68 (1.12) | −3.486 | 0.001 | 0.123 |
| Washing hands after touching potentially contaminated objects | 4.58 (0.71) | 4.57 (0.71) | 4.58 (0.71) | −0.187 | 0.852 | 0.014 |
| Wearing a mask regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms | 3.12 (1.53) | 2.85 (1.54) | 3.23 (1.51) | −7.280 | <0.001 | 0.250 |
| Leaving at least a meter and a half of separation from others | 4.35 (0.75) | 4.40 (0.76) | 4.33 (0.75) | 2.602 | 0.009 | 0.093 |
Note: Likert-type scale from 0 (never) to 5 (always).