Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
Date Submitted: Jan 20, 2023
Date Accepted: May 15, 2024
The Pandemic Fatigue and Preferences for COVID-19 Public Health and Social Measures in China: A Nationwide Discrete Choice Experiment
ABSTRACT
Background:
Evidence on the public’s preferences for the current public health and social measures (PHSMs) and people’s mental health under the PHSMs was insufficient.
Objective:
The present study aims to quantify the public’s preferences for varied PHSMs and measure the level of pandemic fatigue under the COVID-19 normalization stage in China.
Methods:
A nationwide cross-sectional study with discrete choice experiments and psychometric scales was conducted to assess public preferences for and attitude towards PHSMs. COVD-19 pandemic fatigue scale was used to screen fatigue level in the respondents. Multinomial logit model (MNL) and latent class model (LCM) and Mann-Whitney Test were used for statistical analysis.
Results:
A total of 689 respondents across China completed the survey. The discrete choice experiments revealed that respondents attached the greatest importance to the risk of COVID-19 infection within 3 months (45.53%), followed by loss of income within 3 months (30.69%). Vulnerable populations (the low-income and the elderly) were more sensitive to the risk of infection while the younger respondents are more sensitive to income loss and preferred non-suspension of social places and transportation. Migrants and those with pandemic fatigue have less acceptance to the mandatory booster vaccination and suspension of transportation. Additionally, a higher fatigue level was observed in females, younger respondents, migrants, and relatively lower-income respondents.
Conclusions:
Pandemic fatigue is widely prevalent in respondents across China, and the respondents yeaned for the resumption of normal social life while confronted with the fear of COVID-19 infection at the normalization stage of COVID-19 in China. Upon future pandemics, mental burden and adherence of the residents should be considered for the proper implementation of the PHSMs.
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