COVID-19 Population Survey of Iran (COPSIR) study protocol: Repeated survey on knowledge, risk perception, preventive behaviors, psychological problems, essential needs, and public trust during COVID-19 epidemic

Leila Janani; Ahmad Hajebi; Hajar Nazari; Neda Esmailzadehha; Leila Molaeipour; Fatemeh Varse; Mehrdad Eftekhar; Cornelia Betsch; Seyed Abbas Motevalian

doi:10.34171/mjiri.34.52

COVID-19 Population Survey of Iran (COPSIR) study protocol: Repeated survey on knowledge, risk perception, preventive behaviors, psychological problems, essential needs, and public trust during COVID-19 epidemic

Med J Islam Repub Iran. 2020 May 25:34:52. doi: 10.34171/mjiri.34.52. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Leila Janani^{1

2}, Ahmad Hajebi^{3

4}, Hajar Nazari⁵, Neda Esmailzadehha⁵, Leila Molaeipour⁵, Fatemeh Varse⁵, Mehrdad Eftekhar⁴, Cornelia Betsch⁶, Seyed Abbas Motevalian^{3

5}

Affiliations

¹ Preventive Medicine and Public Health Research Center, Psychosocial Health Research Institute (PHRI), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
² Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
³ Research Center for Addiction and Risky Behaviors (ReCARB), Psychosocial Health Research Institute (PHRI), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁶ Center for Empirical Research in Economics and Behavioral Sciences (CEREB), Media and Communication Science, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany.

Abstract

Background: The worldwide emergence and rapid expansion of COVID-19 emphasizes the need to assess the knowledge gap and to predict the disease-related behaviors and reactions during this epidemic. Methods and design: COVID19 Population Survey of Iran (COPSIR) is a repeated cross sectional survey that will be conducted in 8 waves. In each wave, 515 Iranian adults aged 18 years or older will be randomly selected and interviewed by phone. The study waves will be performed at approximately weekly intervals. The survey tool is adapted from COSMO (COVID-19 Snapshot MOnitoring) study. This study will provide information on trends of knowledge, risk perception, preventive behaviors, psychological problems, essential needs, and public trust among Iranian adults during COVID-19 epidemic. Discussion: The key findings of each wave will be immediately reported to the National Headquarters for Coronavirus Control to set better policies for disease control and prevention. Moreover, if a message is extracted from the results of this study that needs to be communicated to the public, it will be done through the mass media.

Keywords: COVID-19; Knowledge; Preventive behaviors; Psychological problems; Public trust; Risk perception.