Transformation of Health-seeking Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from Rural Districts of Hisar and Sirsa (Haryana), India

Abstract

Every year brings its own challenges, but the year (2020) had been more demanding than most. On 8 January 2020, a new virus was identified as the cause of the pneumonia by Chinese scientists. On 11th March 2020, the World Health Organization labeled the disease as COVID-19, which stands for corona virus disease 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on people's lives across the globe. India faced a series of challenges and implemented various strategies to combat the virus and during pandemic behavioral changes was evident as individuals adapted to new norms of social distancing, mask-wearing and hygiene practices. In the study, cross-sectional impact on the health seeking behavior of rural people and how the transformation in their behavior occurred during COVID-19 into two districts viz. Hisar and Sirsa was observed. The results revealed that health seeking behaviors varied significantly during the COVID 19 pandemic with highest adherence observed in changes to daily routines, escape from anxiety, stress coping strategy/pandemic nervousness/ boredom (WMS - 2.67) in district Hisar while in district Sirsa highest adherence was seen in changes to daily routines of wearing masks (WMS - 2.89). The Fogg behavior model was applied to evaluate the transformation of behavior among respondents towards health in both the districts.  It was applied on the elements for which the respondents felt change and followed them in order to break the chains for spread of COVID-19.In Hisar change was seen in elements like ‘fluids’(B=MAT), ‘modes’, ‘hand wash’ B \(\neq\)MAT)‘transmission’ (B = MAT) and ‘daily routine’ (B = MAT),  whereas in district Sirsa, changes were seen in elements like ‘modes’(B = MAT), ‘fluids’(B = MAT), daily routine’ (B \(\neq\)MAT)MAT) and ‘transmission’(B = MAT).