dc.description.abstract |
Contact tracing and subsequent quarantine of individuals exposed to COVID-19 has been a useful tool throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. While trying to implement such measures, however, it has become clear that some people are hesitant to agree to quarantine, for a variety of reasons. The term “hesitancy” appears in other areas of public health such as with vaccine hesitancy, however, it has not been defined for COVID-19 quarantine hesitancy. Arising from personal experience as a contact monitor (CM) for the University of Oregon Corona Corps, this thesis defines COVID-19 quarantine hesitancy and identifies the determinants behind a contact’s hesitancy. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted with UO Corona Corps CMs about their experience with hesitant contacts. The interviews were thematically analyzed to reveal themes rooted in the firsthand experiences of CMs. This work suggests that COVID-19 quarantine hesitancy is when contacts display resistance while receiving or implementing COVID-19 quarantine guidelines. In addition, it suggests that there are multiple types of hesitancy and stages in the quarantine process in which hesitancy can arise. Thematic analysis also revealed three categories of COVID-19 quarantine hesitancy determinants: situational determinants, personal determinants, and quarantine comprehension. The results from this thesis can help inform future use of quarantine, whether for COVID-19 and other diseases. |
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