Predictors of older adults’ health behaviours to prevent COVID-19 transmission: a multilevel analysis

Objectives While older adults showed higher mortality during COVID-19 pandemic, protective behaviours (knowledge regarding coping with COVID-19 symptoms and preventive behaviours) were highlighted to be important to prevent the spread of infection. This study aimed to identify individual and community-level variables influencing deficient knowledge regarding coping with COVID-19 and not-practicing COVID-19 of older adults during the pandemic.Design This is a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study using the 2020 Korea Community Health Survey (KCHS).Setting 255 community public health centres nationwide, South Korea.Methods and analysis Using 2020 KCHS data, multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted on 55 005 adults aged 65 years or older.Results Older adults who reside alone, as opposed to with their spouse and who lack the support of another individual exhibited insufficient COVID-19 coping-related knowledge (OR: 1.142, p