Title :

Time trends in social contacts before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: the CONNECT study.

Author(s) :

Drolet, Mélanie [Auteur]
CHU de Québec–Université Laval
Godbout, Aurélie [Auteur]
CHU de Québec–Université Laval
Mondor, Myrto [Auteur]
CHU de Québec–Université Laval
Béraud, Guillaume [Auteur]
Centre hospitalier universitaire de Poitiers = Poitiers University Hospital [CHU de Poitiers [La Milétrie]]
Drolet-Roy, Léa [Auteur]
CHU de Québec–Université Laval
Lemieux-Mellouki, Philippe [Auteur]
CHU de Québec–Université Laval
Bureau, Alexandre [Auteur]
CHU de Québec–Université Laval
Demers, Éric [Auteur]
CHU de Québec–Université Laval
Boily, Marie-Claude [Auteur]
Imperial College London
Sauvageau, Chantal [Auteur]
CHU de Québec–Université Laval
Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec [Canada] [INSPQ]
De Serres, Gaston [Auteur]
CHU de Québec–Université Laval
Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec [Canada] [INSPQ]
Hens, Niel [Auteur]
Hasselt University [UHasselt]
University of Antwerp [UA]
Beutels, Philippe [Auteur]
University of New South Wales [Sydney] [UNSW]
University of Antwerp [UA]
DERVAUX, Benoit [Auteur]
Facteurs de risque et déterminants moléculaires des maladies liées au vieillissement (RID-AGE) - U1167
Brisson, Marc [Auteur]
CHU de Québec–Université Laval
Imperial College London

Journal title :

BMC Public Health

Abbreviated title :

BMC Public health

Volume number :

22

Pages :

1032

Publication date :

2022-05-26

ISSN :

1471-2458

English keyword(s) :

COVID-19
Social contacts
Public health
Social distancing measures
Mathematical modeling
Infectious disease

HAL domain(s) :

Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

English abstract : [en]

Background Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries, including Canada, have adopted unprecedented physical distancing measures such as closure of schools and non-essential businesses, and restrictions ...
Show more >Background Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries, including Canada, have adopted unprecedented physical distancing measures such as closure of schools and non-essential businesses, and restrictions on gatherings and household visits. We described time trends in social contacts for the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods in Quebec, Canada. Methods CONNECT is a population-based study of social contacts conducted shortly before (2018/2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020 – February 2021), using the same methodology for both periods. We recruited participants by random digit dialing and collected data by self-administered web-based questionnaires. Questionnaires documented socio-demographic characteristics and social contacts for two assigned days. A contact was defined as a two-way conversation at a distance ≤ 2 m or as a physical contact, irrespective of masking. We used weighted generalized linear models with a Poisson distribution and robust variance (taking possible overdispersion into account) to compare the mean number of social contacts over time and by socio-demographic characteristics. Results A total of 1291 and 5516 Quebecers completed the study before and during the pandemic, respectively. Contacts significantly decreased from a mean of 8 contacts/day prior to the pandemic to 3 contacts/day during the spring 2020 lockdown. Contacts remained lower than the pre-COVID period thereafter (lowest = 3 contacts/day during the Christmas 2020/2021 holidays, highest = 5 in September 2020). Contacts at work, during leisure activities/in other locations, and at home with visitors showed the greatest decreases since the beginning of the pandemic. All sociodemographic subgroups showed significant decreases of contacts since the beginning of the pandemic. The mixing matrices illustrated the impact of public health measures (e.g. school closure, gathering restrictions) with fewer contacts between children/teenagers and fewer contacts outside of the three main diagonals of contacts between same-age partners/siblings and between children and their parents. Conclusion Physical distancing measures in Quebec significantly decreased social contacts, which most likely mitigated the spread of COVID-19.Show less >

Language :

Anglais

Audience :

Internationale

Popular science :

Non

Administrative institution(s) :

Université de Lille
CHU Lille

Collections :

• Facteurs de risque et déterminants moléculaires des maladies liées au vieillissement (RID-AGE) - U1167

Submission date :

2023-11-15T04:06:40Z
2024-01-18T14:51:56Z