Barriers and Facilitators of Adherence to the COVID-19 Prevention Guidelines: A Qualitative Study

Background: Despite the recommendations to follow guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19, different communities do not completely adhere to these guidelines. The aim of this study was to explore the barriers and facilitators of the adherence of the people of Sanandaj to the COVID-19 prevention guidelines. Materials & Methods: The present study was a qualitative content analysis study conducted in 2020. A purposive sampling method among the residents of Sanandaj, Iran was applied and continued until data saturation was achieved. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants. A verbatim transcription of interviews was analyzed through qualitative conventional content analysis. Results: Participants included 12 men and 8 women. Data analysis yielded 8 categories and 26 sub-categories regarding the barriers and facilitators of the participants’ adherence to the COVID-19 prevention guidelines. The barriers included myths, being under pressure, and letting and facilitators included awareness, fear, commitment, unity against the disease, and warnings. Conclusion: According to the findings, it is necessary to correct people’s beliefs, support them, and continue to make them informed about the disease. Increasing awareness and commitment, strengthening the spirit of unity among people, and increasing the level of warnings can be effective in increasing adherence of people to the COVID-19 prevention guidelines.