Predictors of COVID-19 preventive behaviors based on the health belief model among pregnant women (preprint)

2021 
Background: COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the new coronavirus, and its widespread epidemic has caused many deaths and health, social, and economic consequences in the world. The purpose of this study was to explain self-care behaviors against COVID-19 based on the health belief model (HBM) in pregnant women. Method The present study was conducted using a descriptive-analytical approach with the participation of 230 pregnant women referred to health centers in Urmia in 2021. The participants were selected using multi-stage random sampling. The data were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire including participants’ demographic characteristics, the HBM items, and items relating to self-care behaviors against COVID-19. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods (frequency, mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regression) in SPSS software (version 25). Results The results of this study showed that the rate of self-care behaviors against COVID-19 in the pregnant women participating in the present study was not very favorable. It was also shown that among the constructs of the HBM, awareness, self-efficacy, perceived barriers, and perceived severity were the most important predictors of self-care behaviors with a variance of 24% change among the pregnant women. Conclusion Awareness, self-efficacy, perceived barriers, and perceived severity were found in this study as the strongest predictors of self-care behaviors among pregnant women. The results of the study can be useful in planning educational and behavioral interventions to increase the adoption of self-care behaviors against COVID-19 and institutionalize health-promoting behaviors in women.
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