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. 2021 Feb 25;23(2):e22197. doi: 10.2196/22197

Table 2.

Current and intended infection control behaviors.

Behaviors Protect themselves generally (n=18,029)a, mean (SD) Protect others if user showing symptoms (n=169) Protect themselves if household member showing symptoms (n=319) Protect a household member at high risk (n=1787)


Mean (SD) Mean difference
(95% CI)
Cohen db Mean (SD) Mean difference
(95% CI)
Cohen d Mean (SD) Mean difference
(95% CI)
Cohen d
Current behavior

Social distancing 2.39
(1.22)
2.52
(1.39)
0.13
(–0.07 to 0.33)
0.11 2.57
(1.23)
0.17
(0.04 to 0.31)
0.15 2.51
(1.20)
0.12
(0.06 to 0.18)
0.10

Clean/disinfect 3.18
(1.18)
2.95
(1.26)
–0.24
(–0.42 to –0.06)
0.20 3.05
(1.18)
0.17
(0.04 to 0.31)
0.11 3.19
(1.17)
0.003
(–0.05 to 0.06)
0.00

Put aside shopping/packages 2.74
(1.55)
2.39
(1.48)
–0.35
(–0.60 to –0.11)
0.23 3.00
(1.49)
0.26
(0.08 to 0.44)
0.17 2.82
(1.59)
0.08
(0.004 to 0.16)
0.05

Self-isolate in own room 2.79
(1.30)
2.85
(1.43)
0.05
(–0.15 to 0.25)
0.04 2.75
(1.26)
–0.04
(–0.19 to 0.10)
0.03 2.64
(1.16)
–0.15
(–0.21 to –0.08)
0.11

Wear face covering 1.63
(1.21)
1.91
(1.36)
0.28
(0.07 to 0.49)
0.24 1.75
(1.28)
0.12
(–0.02 to 0.27)
0.10 1.42
(0.99)
–0.21
(–0.27 to –0.14)
0.17

Overall behavior scorec 2.67
(0.91)
2.61
(1.08)
–0.05
(–0.19 to 0.08)
0.06 2.68
(0.90)
0.01
(–0.09 to 0.11)
0.01 2.59
(0.80)
–0.07
(–0.12 to –0.03)
0.08
Intended Behavior

Social distancing 2.63
(1.28)
2.79
(1.47)
0.05
(–0.06 to 0.16)d
0.12 2.88
(1.30)
0.12
(0.05 to 0.20)d
0.19 2.84
(1.27)
0.11
(0.07 to 0.14)d
0.16

Clean/disinfect 3.57
(1.16)
3.18
(1.33)
–0.14
(–0.25 to –0.03)d
0.33 3.46
(1.18)
0.001
(–0.08 to 0.08)d
0.09 3.63
(1.15)
0.05
(0.01 to 0.08)d
0.05

Put aside shopping/packages 3.24
(1.52)
2.73
(1.59)
–0.19
(–0.34 to –0.04)d
0.34 3.44
(1.41)
–0.02
(–0.12 to 0.09)d
0.13 3.37
(1.52)
0.06
(0.01 to 0.11)d
0.08

Self-isolate in own room 2.94
(1.28)
3.08
(1.41)
0.10
(0.02 to 0.18)d
0.12 2.97
(1.23)
0.07
(0.01 to 0.13)d
0.03 2.87
(1.17)
0.06
(0.04 to 0.09)d
0.05

Wear face covering 1.95
(1.37)
2.19
(1.50)
0.03
(–0.11 to 0.17)d
0.18 2.15
(1.47)
0.08
(–0.01 to 0.18)d
0.15 1.82
(1.28)
0.08
(0.03 to 0.12)d
0.09

Overall behavior score 2.97
(0.96)
2.86
(1.20)
–0.03
(–0.12 to 0.05)d
0.11 3.01
(0.96)
0.03
(–0.03 to 0.09)d
0.04 2.97
(0.89)
0.06
(0.03 to 0.08)d
0.00

aBetween group comparisons compare each group to the protect themselves generally group. Scale: 1 is almost never, 2 is sometimes, 3 is quite often, 4 is very often, and 5 is almost always.

bReported as the standardized mean difference between each group and the comparison group.

cOverall behavior scores are means calculated from all behaviors in which a response was recorded.

dControlling for current behavior.