Compliance with self-isolation highest when compensation for lost wages is assured

In the era of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), compliance with self-isolation is influenced by compensation, with very high compliance seen when compensation for lost wages is assured, according to a report published online April 9 in Health Affairs.

Moran Bodas, M.P.H., Ph.D., and Kobi Peleg, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the Gertner Institute in Tel Hashomer, Israel, conducted a cross-sectional study of the adult population of Israel in the last week of February to examine public attitudes toward the COVID-19 outbreak. Public compliance rates with self-quarantine were examined depending on compensation for lost wages.

The researchers found that almost half of the respondents reported worrying about the COVID-19 outbreak "a lot" or "very much" compared with 16 percent who reported worrying "not at all" or "a little." Respondents reported their intent to comply with self-quarantine in two situations: When state-sponsored compensation for lost wages was assumed, the compliance rate was 94 percent, but this dropped to less than 57 percent when compensation was removed. When compensation was removed, self-employed individuals were more likely to refuse self-quarantine, but this difference was not statistically significant.

"Continuous earning is a crucial factor in determining public compliance with public health regulations, in particular self-quarantine," the authors write. "This is particularly important in countries relying on public compliance with regulations."