Condition:Exploration of the Italian response to COVID-19 pandemic Infections and InfestationsIntervention: This study is part of a large project promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO) called “Monitoring knowledge, risk perceptions, preventive behaviours and trust to inform pandemic outbreak response” and conducted in over 30 countries of the WHO European Region. In Italy, the survey is conducted through a questionnaire online developed ad hoc by WHO; the questionnaire is being administered in four waves (January-May 2021) to a national representative sample of people aged 18-70. A detailed sampling plan was adopted to obtain a representative sample of the Italian adult population. The following variables were taken into account for the stratification of the participants: gender by age (4 age groups: 18-34 years, 35-44 years, 45-54 years, 55-70 years), geographical area (4 areas: North West, North East, Centre, South and Islands), size of living centers (2 classes: above and below 100,000 inhabitants), level of education (up to lower middle school, beyond lower middle school), and employment situation (employed, not employed). At the end of each survey’s wave, a weighting procedure is applied to accurately restore the proportionality of the total sample examined with the reference population, according to the most recent data of the Italian Statistics Institute (ISTAT). In particular, data are weighted for the main socio-demographic and geographic variables (e.g., sex, age, occupation, educational qualification, region and demographic size of the centers).Primary outcome: All measures have been collected in just one session (questionnaire administration), by means of a structured questionnaire developed ad hoc by WHO. Variables are measured using validated questions or adapted validated questions. The WHO questionnaire includes 21 different thematic areas noteworthy for the investigation of COVID-19 experience. The questionnaire was translated into Italian language, following the WHO’s guidelines for translations of tools into other languages. 1. Socio-demography. Items developed ad hoc including age, gender, education, medical background, chronic illness, rural/urban, district, household, financial situation (risk group identified as: 70+ years and/or chronic illness) 2. COVID-19 personal experience. Items developed ad hoc including COVID-19 infection (own, someone close) 3. Health literacy. Items adapted from: Sørensen K, Van den Broucke S, Pelikan JM, et al. (2013) and Griebler, Robert; Nitsche, Michael (2020) 4. COVID-19 risk perception: Probability and Severity. Validated items adapted from Brewer, N. T., Chapman, G. B., Gibbons, F. X., Gerrard, M., McCaul, K. D., & Weinstein, N. D. (2007) 5. Preparedness and Perceived self-efficacy. Psychological construct: preparedness -validated items adapted from: Bandura, A. (2006). Psychological construct: perceived self-efficacy - validated items adapted from: Renner, B., & Schwarzer, R. (2005) 6. Prevention – own behaviours. Items adapted from: Steel Fisher GK et al (2012) 7. Affect related to COVID-19. Validated items adapted from: Bradley, M. M., & Lang, P. J. (1994) 8. Trust in sources of information: Schweitzer, M. E., Hershey, J. C., & Bradlow, E. T. (2006) and Pearson, S. D., & Raeke, L. H. (2000) 9. Use of sources of information. Items developed ad hoc including use of information sources (television, newspapers, health workers, social media, radio, Ministry of Health, Institute of Public Health, hotlines, official website, celebrities) 10. Frequency of Information. Items developed ad hoc including frequency in information for different sources (television, newspapers, health workers, social media, radio, Ministry of Health, Institute of Public Health, hotlines, official website, celebrities) 11. Trust in institutions (perceptions): Schweitzer, M. E., Hershey, J. C., & Bradlow, E. T. (2006) and Pearson, S. D., & Raeke, L. H. (2000) 12. Policies, interventions (perceptions). Items developed ad hoc including Perceptions related to possible/real government policies (COVID-19 vaccine, discrimination behaviours, testing, exaggeration in restrictions, quarantine) 13. Conspiracies (perceptions). Validated items taken from: Bruder M, Haffke P, Neave N, Nouripanah N, Imhoff R. (2013) 14. Resilience (perceptions). Validated items taken from: Smith, B. W., Dalen, J., Wiggins, K., Tooley, E., Christopher, P., & Bernard, J. (2008) 15. Testing and tracing. Items grounded in theory: Michie et al (2014) 16. Fairness (perceptions). Validated items taken from: Gamliel, E., & Peer, E. (2010) 17. Lifting restrictions (pandemic transition phase). Items developed ad hoc including perceptions related to lifting restrictions (adapted to country decisions made/considered 18. Unwanted behaviour. Items developed ad hoc including reported own behaviour (discrimination, physical exercise, alcohol, diet, smoking, vaccination postponed, drugs against COVID-19, postponed doctor visit) 19. Well-being. Validated items from: WHO 5-item well-being scale (WHO-5) 20. COVID-19 vaccine. Items grounded in theory: Michie et al (2014)Criteria:Inclusion criteria: General population 18-70 years oldExclusion criteria: Current isolation due to COVID-19 infection
Exploration of the Italian response to COVID-19 pandemic