Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Public awareness of non-clinical COVID-19 preventive measures is critical for effective health communication, strategic planning, and evidence-based decision-making. This study analyzes trends in public interest using Google Trends data on preventive measures such as face mask usage, hand sanitizer use, social distancing, and lockdowns, in relation to COVID-19 case trends. Statistical diagnostics, including correlation matrices, Variance Inflation Factor (VIF), and eigenvalue analysis, were employed to assess multicollinearity. At the same time, Breusch–Pagan, White, and Breusch–Godfrey tests were applied to detect and address heteroscedasticity. The results reveal significant positive associations between COVID-19 case trends and both face mask usage and lockdown measures, whereas hand sanitizer and social distancing trends exhibited negligible correlations. No evidence of multicollinearity was found, as all condition indices were below 10, indicating stable model estimates. These findings provide valuable insights into temporal changes in public behavior and awareness of preventive measures, informing policymakers and public health authorities in the design of targeted interventions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
DOI: 10.64497/jssci.258
Authors: Babagana Modu, Haruna Aliyu
Institution: Yobe State University
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7167405642