AUTHOR=Luo Sitong , She Rui , Lau Mason M. C. , Lau Joseph T. F. 

TITLE=Would Illness Representations of COVID-19 and COVID-19 Fears During Clinic Visits Promote or Reduce Behavioral Intention to Seek Medical Consultations for Flu Symptoms? A Random Telephone Survey in Hong Kong, China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.903290

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2022.903290

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Background: The study investigated the level of behavioral intention to consult doctors for flu symptoms (BICDFS) during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and examined its associations with illness representations of COVID-19 and fear of COVID-19 during clinic visits in a general Chinese adult population. 

Methods: A random telephone survey was conducted among 300 residents in Hong Kong, China in April 2020 when the second wave of COVID-19 was just ended in the region. The participants were asked about their intention to consult doctors if they had mild or severe flu symptoms in the next week (from 1=definitely no to 5=definitely yes). Illness representations of COVID-19 were measured by the Chinese version of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ). The fear of COVID-19 during clinic visits were assessed by two single items. Linear regression adjusted for background variables and hierarchical strategies were employed. 

Results: Of the participants, 52.3% and 92.0% showed an intention to consult doctors for mild and severe flu symptoms, respectively. Adjusted for background factors, COVID-19-related cognitive representations (consequences: standardized b=0.15, p=0.010; understanding: standardized b=0.21, p=0.001) and emotional representations (concern: standardized b=0.17, p=0.001; negative emotions: standardized b=0.19, p=0.001) were positively associated with BICDFS. In the hierarchical model, independent significant factors of BICDFS included understanding (standardized b=0.16, p=0.013) and negative emotions (standardized b=0.17, p=0.008). The fear-related variables showed non-significant associations with the BICDFS.

Conclusions: Promotion of care-seeking behaviors for flu symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic should consider improving people’s understanding of COVID-19 and providing advice on related coping strategies for emotional responses to COVID-19.