An international comparative study of 11 countries has found people in Finland were the most committed to complying with coronavirus restrictions.
The survey examined people's attitudes towards restrictions and their effectiveness in tackling the virus as well as attitudes towards policymakers, and found that Finnish respondents had the most trust in their government and medical care.
"Maybe this has been the reason for the successful Finnish coronavirus strategy, and for having the lowest rate of cumulative cases of Covid-19, 1009.5, and cumulative deaths, 13.3 (per 100,000 population) (2 March 2021), in comparison with the rest of the European countries involved in our study," the survey concluded.
Compliance with safety distance measures and the recommendation for telecommuting were perceived in Finland as less restrictive than in the ten other countries surveyed.
"Finns' confidence in policymakers came to the fore in our survey. However, clear communication on the selection criteria for restrictions and their effectiveness is important," University of Turku postdoctoral researcher Tella Lantta wrote in the university's press release announcing the results of the survey.
Lantta led the research in Finland.
In addition to Finland, the study was conducted in the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, India, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Sweden and the Czech Republic.
The survey was answered by 9,543 people, which included 542 people living in Finland. Respondents assessed the effectiveness, impact on life, and compliance with 44 different coronavirus containment measures.
Fear of infection, gender, and age influence perception of restrictions
The survey found that people's tendency to comply with restrictions was clearly associated with a fear of becoming infected. However, non-compliance with restrictions was linked to beliefs that the response of the state leadership to prevent the spread of the pandemic was perceived as too extreme.
"Citizens are prepared to comply with coronavirus restrictions that restrict their own fundamental rights if they are perceived to be effective. However, more important than the perceived effectiveness of using a mask, for example, is that citizens trust the policymakers," Lantta said.
The study also found that level of education, gender, and age influenced people's perception of the restrictions. Higher education, older age, and female gender increased the likelihood of complying with restrictions.
