Table 2 The proportion of different religious attitudes toward COVID-19 among the study sample in Palestine (n = 1353)
Question | Strongly agree n (%) | Agree n (%) | I do not know n (%) | Disagree n (%) | Strongly disagree n (%) | Gender (p-value) | Age groups (p-value) | Level of education (p-value) | Place of residence (p-value) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Religious beliefs | |||||||||
1. Religious awareness has contributed to the knowledge that not complying with Covid-19 health-related instructions is suicidal | 193 (14.3%) | 606 (44.8%) | 266 (19.7) | 237 (17.5%) | 51 (3.8%) | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.153 | 0.009 |
2. Religious awareness has clarified that not complying with COVID-19 health-related instructions represents disobedience to God | 214 (15.8%) | 631 (46.6%) | 237 (17.5%) | 211 (15.6%) | 60 (4.4%) | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.004 | 0.000 |
3. Religious awareness has clarified that ignoring COVID-19 health-related instructions brings harm to others around us | 561 (41.5%) | 621 (45.9%) | 71 (5.2%) | 71 (5.2%) | 30 (2.2%) | 0.246 | 0.000 | 0.008 | 0.000 |
Application of the health instructions on the religious activities | |||||||||
4. Religious awareness has contributed to encouraging the public to observe social distancing during the performance of prayers and worship, thereby reducing the incidence of corona cases | 248 (18.3%) | 753 (55.7%) | 145 (10.7%) | 154 (11.4%) | 53 (3.9%) | 0.046 | 0.000 | 0.445 | 0.000 |
5. Religious awareness has contributed to encouraging the public to accept the idea of suspending religious congregations in mosques and churches | 146 (10.8%) | 625 (46.2%) | 195 (14.4%) | 290 (21.4%) | 97 (7.2%) | 0.103 | 0.001 | 0.211 | 0.000 |
6. The suspension of religious rituals such as Haj, Omra, or Christmas celebrations has contributed to reducing covid -19 infections | 160 (11.8%) | 518 (38.3%) | 198 (14.6%) | 311 (23.0%) | 166 (12.3%) | 0.240 | 0.021 | 0.214 | 0.033 |
The role of religious figures | |||||||||
7. Appeals and statements by religious figures have contributed to people’s adherence to covid-19 health-related instructions for the prevention of corona | 163 (12.0%) | 699 (51.7%) | 243 (18.0%) | 205 (15.2%) | 43 (3.2%) | 0.041 | 0.000 | 0.269 | 0.000 |
8. The guidance of Religious scholars has made the public adhere more to covid-19 preventive measures | 148 (10.9%) | 670 (49.5%) | 300 (22.2%) | 193 (14.3%) | 42 (3.1%) | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.656 | 0.000 |
9. The numerous Fatwas and appeals of religious scholars have contributed to the rebuttal of the conspiracy theory that accompanied the Corona outbreak | 102 (7.5%) | 501 (37.0%) | 414 (30.6%) | 256 (18.9%) | 80 (5.9%) | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.018 | 0.000 |
10. The public appearance of religious figures adhering to prevention measures has encouraged people to emulate and adhere to health instructions | 142 (10.5%) | 591 (43.7%) | 330 (24.4%) | 240 (17.7%) | 50 (3.7%) | 0.006 | 0.000 | 0.009 | 0.000 |
11. Under the guides of religious scholars, the public has been encouraged to accept the idea of suspending religious rituals such as Hajj, Omra, or Christmas celebrations to prevent infection | 163 (12.0%) | 605 (44.7%) | 189 (14.0%) | 296 (21.9%) | 100 (7.4%) | 0.172 | 0.000 | 0.060 | 0.036 |
Religious awareness through social media, government officials’ employment of religion, and during religious activities | |||||||||
12. Friday sermons and church preachings have contributed to encouraging people to adhere to covid-19 health-related instructions, and so helped reduce the incidence of injuries and deaths | 181 (13.4%) | 627 (46.3%) | 335 (24.8%) | 171 (12.6%) | 39 (2.9%) | 0.000 | 0.006 | 0.074 | 0.000 |
13. Religion-related posts on social media have contributed to greater adherence to covid-19 health-related instructions to prevent the disease | 164 (12.1%) | 709 (52.4%) | 243 (18.0%) | 199 (14.7%) | 38 (2.8%) | 0.125 | 0.000 | 0.505 | 0.000 |
14. Religion-related TV shows on space channels and local radio have contributed to raising public awareness of COVID-19 health-related instructions and so reduced the incidence of the corona | 145 (10.7%) | 672 (49.7%) | 288 (21.3%) | 204 (15.1%) | 44 (3.3%) | 0.010 | 0.000 | 0.446 | 0.000 |
15. The use of religious terms and phrases by the government officials has contributed positively to influencing people to adhere to health instructions to counter the Corona pandemic | 156 (11.5%) | 673 (49.7%) | 267 (19.7%) | 202 (14.9%) | 55 (4.1%) | 0.002 | 0.084 | 0.999 | 0.000 |
16. Religious awareness has contributed to clarifying the truth and refuting misinformation about COVID-19 | 92 (6.8%) | 610 (45.1%) | 360 (26.6%) | 229 (16.9%) | 62 (4.6%) | 0.018 | 0.000 | 0.004 | 0.000 |
17. Religious awareness has contributed to raise the public's awareness of the gravity of COVID-19 related situation | 210 (15.5%) | 639 (47.2%) | 162 (12.0%) | 249 (18.4%) | 93 (6.9%) | 0.953 | 0.001 | 0.147 | 0.010 |
18. Religious awareness has contributed to encouraging the public to take COVID-19 vaccines as a form of prevention | 119 (8.8%) | 607 (44.9%) | 332 (24.5%) | 242 (17.9%) | 53 (3.9%) | 0.017 | 0.000 | 0.207 | 0.000 |
19. Religious rhetoric has had a major impact in motivating health workers to make a greater effort to confront the Corona pandemic | 166 (12.3%) | 592 (43.8%) | 358 (26.5%) | 178 (13.2%) | 59 (4.4%) | 0.361 | 0.000 | 0.263 | 0.000 |
20. Religious awareness has contributed to people’s acceptance of the idea of observing social distancing in weddings, during condolence visits, and other social events | 138 (10.2%) | 678 (50.1%) | 187 (13.8%) | 283 (20.9%) | 67 (5.0%) | 0.370 | 0.000 | 0.123 | 0.000 |