Thread by @TCI_ca

#impsci can inform how we support people through this difficult period of extreme change. We asked people about their barriers to #PhysicalDistancing and grouped data from 387 respondents. Here are the 12 themes we found:
Please RT for gov, health experts, and researchers!
1/18

Data is open access – you can get the raw data here: thecenterforimplementation.com/covid19

After considering these themes, we want to open up the conversation. What are new barriers that are coming out now? What have you noticed? 2/18

Note: We wanted to hear participants' perspectives on why they chose to or chose not to practice physical distancing. This work was not about judging anyone’s choices or behavior. The goal was to better understand everyone’s perspective. 3/18

#1: There's a lack of clarity around what constitutes physical distancing. People want to know what is allowed and what isn’t allowed. Can you go for a walk outside? Can you sit on your front lawn and talk to your neighbors on theirs? Many knowledge-based Qs were asked. 4/18

#2: The way people described the dramatic changes they've made in how they work and live (even those not fully practicing physical distancing) brought to light that they're looking for acknowledgment and recognition for quickly making these difficult changes. 5/18

#3: Messaging around how the curve is flattening has not highlighted enough how people's changes in their behavior have directly and positively influenced these trends. We can do better to reinforce that what people are doing is related to why cases are lower than projected. 6/18

#4: What drove people to change fell into 4 categories: social norms, friends/family, governments, and health authorities. Re: social norms, the more physical distancing became normalized, the easier it was to do, and the less strange they felt about doing it. 7/18

Several people reported making changes based on conversations with their family members. Also after listening to both governments and health authorities, and simultaneously being frustrated by mixed messaging b/w the different sources and changing messaging over time. 8/18

#5: Several said they only started or would only start physical distancing when they felt like there was a greater risk to them and their communities. Those who felt COVID-19 was not close to where they live or weren't high-risk, didn’t see the need to practice it yet. 9/18

#6: People who had risk factors were much more likely to be strictly practicing physical distancing. 10/18

#7: Huge facilitator: Being allowed to work from home. Barriers: The fact that some people have to go to work and some people's work requires them to be in close proximity to other people because of the nature of the work. 11/18

#8: Several people said a great facilitator is to have a plan for specific situations. They sometimes struggle to understand what physical distancing means; they'd like to “walk through” what that really looks like so that they can set plans to develop new routines. 12/18

#9: The biggest challenge in practicing physical distancing was grocery stores. The number of comments about the challenges in grocery stores was surprising. 13/18

#10: The role of family went in many different directions. Concern over their families meant they practiced better physical distancing. Others reported needing to help out to take care of parents, grandparents, and children so they practiced less physical distancing. 14/18

Some people said that teenagers and those in their 20s had difficulties practicing physical distancing which increased their entire families' exposure. For those who could practice it, they felt like the distance from family members was very emotionally challenging. 15/18

#11: Emotions were often linked with identity statements. Some people felt their identity was stripped from them (e.g. role identity as an employee, being a social person). Emotions included feeling isolated, away from family, stressed, worried, and scared. 16/18

But they also discovered their strengths. Many people have been resilient and are doing better than they would've predicted. Role, emotions, and beliefs about capabilities are intersecting. In messaging, incl. accessible resources to help with these struggles are key. 16/18

#12: People are looking for upbeat, positive messages that look toward the future. They want messaging to highlight things like how practicing physical distancing now will allow you to get to see people sooner. 18/18