Effectiveness of Innovation Media for Improving Physical Distancing Compliance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Quasi-Experiment in Thailand
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design and Population
2.2. Data Collection and Instruments
2.3. Dependent Variable: Physical Distancing
- Standing within the marking position during the process of queueing;
- Moving out of the marking position for 3 s or less each time was acceptable.
2.4. Independent Variable: Innovation Media
- The control or conventional sign was a footprint standing sign (Figure 1A);
- A fearful picture, an aggressive COVID-19 with a punched-out circle, was the standing point (Figure 1B);
- A red one-way arrow sign was placed between conventional interventions to instruct on direction (Figure 1C);
- A norm-speech sticker was used to show speech that could encourage physical distancing compliance (Figure 1D), for example, “Please maintain a distance from other customers”, “Physical distancing and Win COVID-19”, and “Please queue here”.
2.5. Statistical Analysis
2.6. Ethics Statement
3. Results
3.1. Participant Characteristics
3.2. Physical Distancing and Innovation Media: Marking-Point Analysis
4. Discussion
4.1. Summary of Results
4.2. Comparison with Prior Studies and Theoretical Frameworks
4.3. Limitations and Strengths
4.4. Implications and Further Studies
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Characteristics | Control (n = 100) | A Fearful Picture (n = 100) | p-Value | A Red One-Way Arrow Sign (n = 100) | p-Value | A Norm-Speech Sticker (n = 100) | p-Value |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gender by observation, n (%) | |||||||
Male | 35 (35.0) | 45 (45.0) | 0.194 a | 37 (37.0) | 0.883 a | 49 (49.0) | 0.063 a |
Female | 65 (65.0) | 55 (55.0) | 63 (63.0) | 51 (51.0) | |||
Wearing university uniform, n (%) | |||||||
Yes (estimated 17–25 years) | 2 (2.0) | 35 (35.0) | <0.001 a,* | 17 (17.0) | <0.001 a,* | 26 (26.0) | <0.001 a,* |
No (estimated age group by observation) | 98 (98.0) | 65 (65.0) | 83 (83.0) | 74 (74.0) | |||
Age group by observation, n (%) | |||||||
Children (estimated 0–11 years) | 1 (1.0) | 0 | 0.002 b,* | 0 | <0.001 b,* | 0 | 0.001 b,* |
Adolescences (estimated 12–18 years) | 12 (12.0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Adults (estimated 19–64 years) | 83 (83.0) | 61 (61.0) | 83 (83.0) | 70 (70.0) | |||
Elderly (estimated ≥65 years) | 2 (2.0) | 4 (4.0) | 0 | 4 (4.0) | |||
With companion, n (%) | |||||||
No | 66 (66.0) | 83 (83.0) | 0.009 a,* | 75 (75.0) | 0.215 b | 79 (79.0) | 0.057 a |
Yes | 34 (34.0) | 17 (17.0) | 25 (25.0) | 21 (21.0) | |||
Carrying item(s), n (%) | |||||||
No | 38 (38.0) | 48 (48.0) | 0.199 a | 65 (65.0) | <0.001 a,* | 49 (49.0) | 0.154 a |
Yes | 62 (62.0) | 52 (52.0) | 35 (35.0) | 51 (51.0) | |||
Container | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |||
Book | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Bag | 44 | 37 | 26 | 28 | |||
Mobile | 26 | 31 | 10 | 26 | |||
Other | 7 | 3 | 3 | 10 | |||
Number of carrying item(s), n (%) | |||||||
Median (IQR) | 1 (1, 2) | 1 (1, 2) | 0.243 c | 1 (1, 1) | 0.089 c | 1(1, 2) | 0.596 c |
1 | 41 (66.1) | 29 (55.8) | 0.513 b | 29 (82.9) | 0.156 b | 36 (70.6) | 0.932 a |
2 | 19 (30.6) | 20 (38.5) | 5 (14.3) | 14 (27.5) | |||
3 | 2 (3.2) | 3 (5.8) | 1 (2.9) | 1 (2.0) | |||
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Marking Point | Control | A Fearful Picture | A Red One-Way Arrow Sign | A Norm-Speech Sticker | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. of Failure/Total (%) | No. of Failure/Total (%) | p-Value a | No. of Failure/Total (%) | p-Value a | No. of Failure/Total (%) | p-Value a | ||
1 | 87/99 (87.9) | 77/95 (81.1) | 0.264 | 91/97 (93.8) | 0.234 | 70/95 (73.7) | 0.020 * | 325/386 (84.2) |
2 | 81/99 (81.8) | 83/99 (83.8) | 0.851 | 78/99 (78.8) | 0.721 | 86/99 (86.9) | 0.434 | 328/396 (82.8) |
3 | 22/42 (52.4) | 38/72 (52.8) | 1 | 32/63 (50.8) | 1 | 45/71 (63.4) | 0.341 | 137/248 (55.2) |
4 | 8/24 (33.3) | 9/55 (16.4) | 0.164 | 12/33 (36.4) | 1 | 25/46 (54.3) | 0.156 | 54/158 (34.2) |
5 | 6/12 (50.0) | 13/40 (32.5) | 0.317 | 3/17 (17.6) | 0.106 | 16/29 (55.2) | 1 | 38/98 (38.8) |
p-value b | <0.001 * | <0.001 * | <0.001 * | <0.001 * | <0.001 * |
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Chutiphimon, H.; Thipsunate, A.; Cherdchim, A.; Boonyaphak, B.; Vithayasirikul, P.; Choothong, P.; Vichathai, S.; Ngamchaliew, P.; Vichitkunakorn, P. Effectiveness of Innovation Media for Improving Physical Distancing Compliance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Quasi-Experiment in Thailand. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 8535. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228535
Chutiphimon H, Thipsunate A, Cherdchim A, Boonyaphak B, Vithayasirikul P, Choothong P, Vichathai S, Ngamchaliew P, Vichitkunakorn P. Effectiveness of Innovation Media for Improving Physical Distancing Compliance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Quasi-Experiment in Thailand. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(22):8535. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228535
Chicago/Turabian StyleChutiphimon, Hattaya, Apinya Thipsunate, Atigun Cherdchim, Bootsarakam Boonyaphak, Panat Vithayasirikul, Patiphan Choothong, Swit Vichathai, Pitchayanont Ngamchaliew, and Polathep Vichitkunakorn. 2020. "Effectiveness of Innovation Media for Improving Physical Distancing Compliance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Quasi-Experiment in Thailand" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 22: 8535. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228535