Although health behavior theories indicate that fear is effective in activating preventive behaviors, the question of whether COVID-19 severity moderates the association between fear of COVID-19 and preventive behaviors remains unclear. The present study investigated the association between the fear of COVID-19 and preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 community outbreak of two severity levels in Taiwan. Data were obtained regarding the fear of COVID-19 and practice of preventive behaviors from 139 older people (mean age = 71.73 years; 30.2% men) through in-person interviews during a mild COVID-19 outbreak period (baseline assessment). Data from 126 of the 139 participants were obtained again through a telephone interview during a severe COVID-19 outbreak period (follow-up assessment). A significant increase in the fear of COVID-19 ( d = 0.39, p < 0.001) and a decrease in preventive behaviors ( d = 0.63, p < 0.001) were found in the follow-up assessment. The association between fear of COVID-19 and preventive behaviors was not significant at baseline ( r = −0.07, p > 0.05) but became significant at the follow-up assessment ( r = 0.32, p < 0.001). The severity of a COVID-19 outbreak may alter older people's psychological status and related behaviors.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Psychological distress, Behavior, fear, geriatric, 【초록키워드】 severe COVID-19, severity, COVID-19 severity, Health, COVID-19 outbreak, outbreak, Community, Mild, age, Psychological, Follow-up, Taiwan, moderate, association, Older, not significant, significant increase, Baseline assessment, participant, men, Alter, effective, decrease, investigated, question, activating, baseline, 【제목키워드】 Taiwan, longitudinal,