Compliance with self-isolation and quarantine measures: literature review

This literature review analyses UK and international research on compliance with self-isolation and quarantine regimes implemented during the current COVID-19 pandemic and previous infectious disease outbreaks.


Footnotes

1. The research for this report was conducted between February and July 2021. This section was therefore last updated in August 2021. Rules and guidelines on self-isolation and quarantine have changed in the intervening period and may change further in the future.

2. Coronavirus (COVID-19): Test and Protect - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

3. Coronavirus (COVID-19): international travel and managed isolation (quarantine) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

4. How to quarantine when you arrive in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

5. How to isolate when you travel to Wales: coronavirus (COVID-19) | GOV.WALES

6. Coronavirus (COVID-19): international travel advice | nidirect

7. Coronavirus (COVID-19): Test and Protect - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). This payment is available across the UK: in England it is the NHS Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme (Stay at home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)), in Wales the Self-Isolation Support Scheme (Self-isolation support scheme | GOV.WALES), and in Northern Ireland the Discretionary Support Self-isolation Grant (Extra financial support | nidirect).

8. Coronavirus (COVID-19): help for people who need additional support - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

9. Stay prepared during the Covid-19 pandemic (ready.scot)

10. What predicts adherence to COVID-19 government guidelines? Longitudinal analyses of 51,000 UK adults | medRxiv

11. S0732_CORSAIR_-_Adherence_to_the_test__trace_and_isolate_system.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

12. Test, Trace and Isolate: Behavioural aspects - POST (parliament.uk)

13. Self-isolation confidence, adherence and challenges: Behavioural insights from contacts of cases of COVID-19 starting and completing self-isolation in Wales

14. The government's approach to test and trace in England – interim report (nao.org.uk)

15. Public attitudes to Coronavirus: January update - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

16. COVID-19 support study: index and contact case research findings from May 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Since searching for this review ended the full report on this study has been published: Coronavirus (COVID-19) support study experiences of and compliance with self-isolation: main report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

17. Coronavirus and self-isolation after testing positive in England - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

18. Self-isolation confidence, adherence and challenges: Behavioural insights from contacts of cases of COVID-19 starting and completing self-isolation in Wales

19. Coronavirus and self-isolation after being in contact with a positive case in England - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

20. How to improve adherence with quarantine: rapid review of the evidence – ScienceDirect

21. Factors associated with adherence to self-isolation and lockdown measures in the UK: a cross-sectional survey - ScienceDirect

22. Adherence to the test, trace, and isolate system in the UK: results from 37 nationally representative surveys | The BMJ

23. What are the symptoms of COVID-19? Only 59% of Britons know all three | YouGov

24. Public attitudes to Coronavirus: January update - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

25. S0732_CORSAIR_-_Adherence_to_the_test__trace_and_isolate_system.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

26. Public adherence to governmental recommendations regarding quarantine and testing for COVID-19 in two Norwegian cohorts | medRxiv

27. Research on behavioural rules and well-being: round 3 | RIVM

28. Coronavirus and self-isolation after testing positive in England - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

29. IJERPH | Free Full-Text | Self-Isolation and Quarantine during the UK's First Wave of COVID-19. A Mixed-Methods Study of Non-Adherence (mdpi.com)

30. Test, trace, and isolate in the UK | The BMJ.

31. Trust and compliance to public health policies in times of COVID-19 - ScienceDirect

32. Full article: The paradox of trust: perceived risk and public compliance during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore (tandfonline.com)

33. What predicts adherence to COVID-19 government guidelines? Longitudinal analyses of 51,000 UK adults | medRxiv

34. Factors Influencing Compliance with Quarantine in Toronto During the 2003 SARS Outbreak | Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science (liebertpub.com)

35. PsyArXiv Preprints | Dispositional and situational attribution of COVID-19 risk: A content analysis of response typology (Version: 1)

36. Adherence to safety and self-isolation guidelines, conspiracy and paranoia-like beliefs during COVID-19 pandemic in Poland - associations and moderators (nih.gov)

37. S0759_SPI-B__The_impact_of_financial_and_other_targeted_support_on_rates_of_self-isolation_or_quarantine_.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

38. Effective test, trace and isolate needs better communication and support (kcl.ac.uk)

39. Liverpool Covid-SMART Community Testing Pilot. Evaluation report May 2021

40. Income assurances are a crucial factor in determining public compliance with self-isolation regulations during the COVID-19 outbreak – cohort study in Israel | Israel Journal of Health Policy Research | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)

41. How to improve adherence with quarantine: rapid review of the evidence – ScienceDirect

42. Factors Influencing Compliance with Quarantine in Toronto During the 2003 SARS Outbreak | Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science (liebertpub.com)

43. SocArXiv Papers | Non-compliance with COVID-19-related public health measures among young adults: Insights from a longitudinal cohort study (osf.io)

44. Pandemic fatigue? How adherence to covid-19 regulations has been misrepresented and why it matters - The BMJ

45. PHE: Factors contributing to risk of SARS-CoV2 transmission in various settings, 26 November 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

46. Home versus institutional isolation of mild COVID-19 patients (nih.gov)

47. Preparedness for self-isolation or quarantine and lockdown in South Africa: results from a rapid online survey | SpringerLink

48. S0759_SPI-B__The_impact_of_financial_and_other_targeted_support_on_rates_of_self-isolation_or_quarantine_.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

49. Poverty and COVID-19 in Africa and Latin America (nih.gov)

50. Perceived social support and compliance with stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 outbreak: evidence from Iran (nih.gov)

51. Home quarantine is a useful strategy to prevent the coronavirus outbreak: Identifying the reasons for non-compliance in some Iranians - ScienceDirect

52. Risk perceptions of COVID-19 and its impact on precautionary behavior: A qualitative study. - Abstract - Europe PMC

53. Bioethics and self-isolation: What about low-resource settings? (scielo.org.za)

54. COVID-19 and quarantine orders: A practical approach (scielo.org.za)

55. Perceptions and behavioural responses of the general public during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey of UK Adults | medRxiv

56. New report finds planning ahead key to self-isolation success - Public Health Wales (nhs.wales)

57. What predicts adherence to COVID-19 government guidelines? Longitudinal analyses of 51,000 UK adults | medRxiv

58. Coronavirus (COVID-19): fair work statement - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

59. Income assurances are a crucial factor in determining public compliance with self-isolation regulations during the COVID-19 outbreak – cohort study in Israel | Israel Journal of Health Policy Research | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)

60. S0759_SPI-B__The_impact_of_financial_and_other_targeted_support_on_rates_of_self-isolation_or_quarantine_.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

61. Accepted monitoring or endured quarantine? Ebola contacts' perceptions in Senegal - PubMed (nih.gov)

62. Test & Trace Corps – Take Care | NYC Health + Hospitals (nychealthandhospitals.org)

63. Evaluation of a novel community-based COVID-19 'Test-to-Care' model for low-income populations (semanticscholar.org)

64. France Covid-19: Self-isolation recommended but not forced (connexionfrance.com)

65. Support for self-isolation is critical in covid-19 response | The BMJ

66. How can we improve self-isolation and quarantine for covid-19? | The BMJ

67. Perceptions and behavioural responses of the general public during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey of UK Adults | medRxiv

68. IJERPH | Free Full-Text | Students' Views towards Sars-Cov-2 Mass Asymptomatic Testing, Social Distancing and Self-Isolation in a University Setting during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study | HTML (mdpi.com)

69. Social consequences of mass quarantine during epidemics: a systematic review with implications for the COVID-19 response | Journal of Travel Medicine | Oxford Academic (oup.com)

70. PsyArXiv Preprints | Using behavioural science to develop public health messages for racial and ethnic minority communities during COVID-19

71. Public health messaging for communities from different cultural backgrounds - 22 July 2020 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

72. S0759_SPI-B__The_impact_of_financial_and_other_targeted_support_on_rates_of_self-isolation_or_quarantine_.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

73. PsyArXiv Preprints | Using behavioural science to develop public health messages for racial and ethnic minority communities during COVID-19

74. Full article: Predictors of adherence with home quarantine during COVID-19 crisis: the case of health belief model (tandfonline.com)

75. PsyArXiv Preprints | Using behavioural science to develop public health messages for racial and ethnic minority communities during COVID-19

76. Compliance with COVID-19 Mitigation Measures in the United States by Benjamin van Rooij, Anne Leonore de Bruijn, Chris Reinders Folmer, Emmeke Barbara Kooistra, Malouke Esra Kuiper, Megan Brownlee, Elke Olthuis, Adam Fine :: SSRN

77. What predicts adherence to COVID-19 government guidelines? Longitudinal analyses of 51,000 UK adults | medRxiv

78. How to improve adherence with quarantine: rapid review of the evidence – ScienceDirect

79. Mental health policy: protecting community mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic (nih.gov)

80. 4b._SPI-B__Key_Behavioural_Issues_Relevant_to_Test_J_Trace_J_Track_and_Isolate_20200506_S0327.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

81. The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence - The Lancet

82. Factors Influencing Compliance with Quarantine in Toronto During the 2003 SARS Outbreak | Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science (liebertpub.com)

83. Perceived social support and compliance with stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 outbreak: evidence from Iran (nih.gov)

84. S0732_CORSAIR_-_Adherence_to_the_test__trace_and_isolate_system.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

85. Self-isolation confidence, adherence and challenges: Behavioural insights from contacts of cases of COVID-19 starting and completing self-isolation in Wales

86. Community-centered responses to Ebola in urban Liberia: the view from below - PubMed (nih.gov)

87. How can we improve self-isolation and quarantine for covid-19? | The BMJ

88. Maximising public adherence to COVID-19 self-isolation in Europe - The Lancet Regional Health – Europe

89. The importance of (shared) human values for containing the COVID‐19 pandemic - Wolf - 2020 - British Journal of Social Psychology - Wiley Online Library

90. Self-isolation confidence, adherence and challenges: Behavioural insights from contacts of cases of COVID-19 starting and completing self-isolation in Wales

91. Barriers to adherence with COVID-19 restrictions: Findings from qualitative research with individuals in Scotland (www.gov.scot)

92. Experiences of supported isolation in returning travellers during the early COVID-19 response: an interview study

93. COVID-19 is rapidly changing: Examining public perceptions and behaviors in response to this evolving pandemic (plos.org)

94. SPI-B insights on self-isolation and household isolation - 9 March 2020 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

95. How to improve adherence with quarantine: rapid review of the evidence - ScienceDirect

96. S0470_Theory_and_evidence_base_for_initial_SPI-B_recommendations_for_phased_changes_in_activity_restrictions.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

97. Using social and behavioural science to support COVID-19 pandemic response | Nature Human Behaviour

98. Who complies with COVID-19 transmission mitigation behavioral guidelines? (plos.org)

99. PsyArXiv Preprints | The emotional path to action: Empathy promotes physical distancing and wearing of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic

100. The Intelligent Lockdown: Compliance with COVID-19 Mitigation Measures in the Netherlands by Malouke Esra Kuiper, Anne Leonore de Bruijn, Chris Reinders Folmer, Elke Olthuis, Megan Brownlee, Emmeke Barbara Kooistra, Adam Fine, Benjamin van Rooij :: SSRN

101. S0759_SPI-B__The_impact_of_financial_and_other_targeted_support_on_rates_of_self-isolation_or_quarantine_.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

102. How to improve adherence with quarantine: rapid review of the evidence – ScienceDirect

103. What predicts adherence to COVID-19 government guidelines? Longitudinal analyses of 51,000 UK adults | medRxiv

104. Frontiers | Demographic and Attitudinal Factors of Adherence to Quarantine Guidelines During COVID-19: The Italian Model | Psychology (frontiersin.org)

105. Attitudes and opinions on quarantine and support for a contact-tracing application in France during the COVID-19 outbreak - ScienceDirect

106. Behavioral Sciences | Free Full-Text | Factors Affecting Voluntary Self-Isolation Behavior to Cope with a Pandemic: Empirical Evidence from Colombia vs. Spain in Times of COVID-19 | HTML (mdpi.com)

107. Frontiers | Social Isolation During COVID-19 Pandemic. Perceived Stress and Containment Measures Compliance Among Polish and Italian Residents | Psychology (frontiersin.org)

108. Frontiers | Influence of Resilience and Optimism on Distress and Intention to Self-Isolate: Contrasting Lower and Higher COVID-19 Illness Risk Samples From an Extended Health Belief Model | Psychology (frontiersin.org)

109. Socio-demographic disparities in knowledge, practices, and ability to comply with COVID-19 public health measures in Canada | SpringerLink

110. Taking Care of Each Other: How Can We Increase Compliance with Personal Protective Measures During the COVID‐19 Pandemic in Chile? - Gerber - - Political Psychology - Wiley Online Library

111. Full article: Predictors of adherence with home quarantine during COVID-19 crisis: the case of health belief model (tandfonline.com)

112. Eurosurveillance | Poor self-reported adherence to COVID-19-related quarantine/isolation requests, Norway, April to July 2020

113. IJERPH | Free Full-Text | Students' Views towards Sars-Cov-2 Mass Asymptomatic Testing, Social Distancing and Self-Isolation in a University Setting during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study | HTML (mdpi.com)

114. In their own words: How different people respond to coronavirus guidance - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

115. Frontiers | Adolescents in Quarantine During COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: Perceived Health Risk, Beliefs, Psychological Experiences and Expectations for the Future | Psychology (frontiersin.org)

116. PsyArXiv Preprints | Risk perception and personal responsibility during COVID-19: An experimental study of the role of imperative vs reasoning-based communication for self-isolation attitudes

117. Looking out for myself: Exploring the relationship between conspiracy mentality, perceived personal risk, and COVID‐19 prevention measures (nih.gov)

118. Functional Fear Predicts Public Health Compliance in the COVID-19 Pandemic | SpringerLink

119. Emotional responses to prosocial messages increase willingness to self-isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic (nih.gov)

120. Understanding, compliance and psychological impact of the SARS quarantine experience - PubMed (nih.gov)

121. COVID-19 support study: index and contact case research findings from May 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Since searching for this review ended, the final report from this study has been published: Coronavirus (COVID-19) support study experiences of and compliance with self-isolation: main report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

122. Coronavirus and self-isolation after being in contact with a positive case in England - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

123. Coronavirus and self-isolation after testing positive in England - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

124. COVID-19 Pandemic: Demographic Predictors of Self-Isolation or Self-Quarantine and Impact of Isolation and Quarantine on Perceived Stress, Anxiety, and Depression (nih.gov)

125. Associations between periods of COVID-19 quarantine and mental health in Canada - ScienceDirect

126. Stress and worry in the 2020 coronavirus pandemic: relationships to trust and compliance with preventive measures across 48 countries in the COVIDiSTRESS global survey | Royal Society Open Science (royalsocietypublishing.org)

127. S0759_SPI-B__The_impact_of_financial_and_other_targeted_support_on_rates_of_self-isolation_or_quarantine_.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

128. S0732_CORSAIR_-_Adherence_to_the_test__trace_and_isolate_system.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

129. The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence - The Lancet

130. Frontiers | Demographic and Attitudinal Factors of Adherence to Quarantine Guidelines During COVID-19: The Italian Model | Psychology (frontiersin.org)

131. Self-isolation confidence, adherence and challenges: Behavioural insights from contacts of cases of COVID-19 starting and completing self-isolation in Wales

132. (PDF) Compliance and Psychological Impact of Quarantine in Children and Adolescents due to Covid-19 Pandemic (researchgate.net)

133. S0759_SPI-B__The_impact_of_financial_and_other_targeted_support_on_rates_of_self-isolation_or_quarantine_.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

134. Self-isolation confidence, adherence and challenges: Behavioural insights from contacts of cases of COVID-19 starting and completing self-isolation in Wales

135. S0759_SPI-B__The_impact_of_financial_and_other_targeted_support_on_rates_of_self-isolation_or_quarantine_.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

136. Evaluating COVID-19 Public Health Messaging in Italy: Self-Reported Compliance and Growing Mental Health Concerns | medRxiv

137. The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence - The Lancet

138. Associations between periods of COVID-19 quarantine and mental health in Canada - ScienceDirect

139. Subjective cognitive failures and their psychological correlates in a large Italian sample during quarantine/self-isolation for COVID-19 | SpringerLink

140. MHF Mental Health in the COVID-19 Pandemic.pdf

141. The immediate psychological and occupational impact of the 2003 SARS outbreak in a teaching hospital - PubMed (nih.gov)

142. Factors Influencing Compliance with Quarantine in Toronto During the 2003 SARS Outbreak | Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science (liebertpub.com)

143. What predicts adherence to COVID-19 government guidelines? Longitudinal analyses of 51,000 UK adults | medRxiv

144. Predictors of self-reported adherence to COVID-19 guidelines. A longitudinal observational study of 51,600 UK adults - ScienceDirect

145. New legal duty to self-isolate comes into force today - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

146. Current restrictions: frequently asked questions | GOV.WALES

147. Travel ban and self-isolation rules follow Denmark Covid mink outbreak | Department of Health (health-ni.gov.uk)

148. Institutional, not home-based, isolation could contain the COVID-19 outbreak - The Lancet

149. Factors associated with adherence to self-isolation and lockdown measures in the UK: a cross-sectional survey - ScienceDirect

150. Institutional, not home-based, isolation could contain the COVID-19 outbreak - The Lancet

151. A rapid review of measures to support people in isolation or quarantine during the Covid‐19 pandemic and the effectiveness of such measures - Cardwell - - Reviews in Medical Virology - Wiley Online Library

152. Using social and behavioural science to support COVID-19 pandemic response | Nature Human Behaviour

153. Compliance with COVID-19 Mitigation Measures in the United States by Benjamin van Rooij, Anne Leonore de Bruijn, Chris Reinders Folmer, Emmeke Barbara Kooistra, Malouke Esra Kuiper, Megan Brownlee, Elke Olthuis, Adam Fine :: SSRN

154. Experiences of supported isolation in returning travellers during the early COVID-19 response: an interview study

155. How to improve adherence with quarantine: rapid review of the evidence – ScienceDirect

156. Self-Isolation Compliance In The COVID-19 Era Influenced By Compensation: Findings From A Recent Survey In Israel | Health Affairs

157. Public attitude towards quarantine during the COVID-19 outbreak | Epidemiology & Infection | Cambridge Core

158. Self-Quarantine Noncompliance During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea | Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness | Cambridge Core

159. Crime-and-punishment-John-4.1-1.pdf (independentsage.org)

160. Improving adherence to 'test, trace and isolate' - G James Rubin, Louise E Smith, GJ Melendez-Torres, Lucy Yardley, 2020 (sagepub.com)

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