Behavioural precautions to avoid transmission of the COVID-19 virus – low educated groups are not always lagging behind

Abstract

When COVID-19 started spreading in Norway in early 2020, the government, with strong support from the Directorate of Health and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, launched the most comprehensive health education effort ever seen in Norway. Information about spread of the virus and precautions that needed to be taken were communicated continuously, in all possible media channels and with heavy appeal over several months. There were no obvious and visible disagreements among the central level communicators. From a health education research perspective it is interesting to examine the compliance with the recommendations advocated and its relationship with demographic factors. Knowledge about differences in compliance across population segments and insights into processes determining compliance are important for our ability to cope with future pandemics and health crises.