Investigating the factors related to protective behaviors against COVID-19 in healthcare workers: Application of extended parallel process model.

Background and Aims: Preventive behaviors against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are important, and messages that create a sense of danger are necessary to create these behaviors. One of the widely used models for designing risk messages is the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM). The present study was conducted to investigate the factors related to protective behaviors against COVID-19 in the personnel of the health department based on EPPM. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 699 personnel of the deputy health department of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province were included in the study by census method. Data were collected online using valid questionnaires, including demographic questions and history of contracting COVID-19 and the questionnaire of EPPM constructs. Data were analyzed in SPSS24 software, using descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: The results showed that there were positive correlations between the protective behaviors and the constructs of perceived severity (p < 0.001, r = 0.542), perceived susceptibility (p < 0.001, r = 0.260), self-efficacy (p < 0.001, r = 0.594), response efficiency (p > 0.001, r = 0.522), and risk control (p > 0.001, r = 0.501). There was a negative correlation between protective behaviors and fear control (p < 0.001, r = 0.329). The results of multiple linear regression showed that these six constructs explained 49.8% of protective behaviors against COVID-19, among which the role of the perceived severity construct was stronger than other constructs. Conclusion: Regarding the results, it is suggested that the results of this research be used in the development of training programs to improve protective behaviors in high-traffic offices, and by focusing on fear and risk control.

Factors associated with preventive behaviors of COVID-19 among adolescents: Applying the health belief model.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of a new pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a unique challenge for public health (all age and sex groups). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the adolescents' perceptions of preventive behaviors to avoid COVID-19 disease based on the health belief model (HBM). METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 797adolescents (aged between 12 and 18 years old), who were 7th-12th -grade students of 24 randomly selected schools from 28th May to June 28, 2020 in Isfahan, Iran. An online self-administered questionnaire was adapted to measure the adolescents' perceived threats, barriers, benefits, self-efficacy, and cues to action toward protective behaviors. RESULTS: Findings indicated that the adolescents' mean age was 14.7 (SD = 1.7) and 53.7% of them were female. Regardless of gender difference, there was a significant positive correlation between the adolescents' protective behaviors and their self-efficacy (r = 0.62, P < 0.001), perceived benefit (r = 29, P < 0.001), and perceived severity (r = 0.15, P < 0.001), while there was a significant negative correlation between the adolescents' protective behaviors and their perceived susceptibility (r = -0.11, P < 0.001), as well as their perceived barrier (r = -0.21, P < 0.001). The result of the Hierarchical regression analysis also revealed that the HBM model had a significant predictive power for preventing measures towards coronavirus disease in adolescents (Adj R2 = 0.46, p < 0.001). The results also showed that self-efficacy was the strongest predictor (ß = 0.59, P < 0.001) in explaining protective behaviors in adolescents. CONCLUSION: In the context of coronavirus disease pandemic in adolescents, the health belief model could provide a useful framework for planners to develop educational programs. Moreover, in such a context, strategies to promote self-efficacy in adolescents should be considered more carefully to help them improve their protective behaviors.

Effectiveness of message-framing intervention on complementary feeding related behaviors among mothers with infants aged 4-8 months: a 3-arm randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Complementary feeding from the age of 6 months along with breastfeeding is essential for the health of infants. The effect of educational interventions on preventing the early or late onset of complementary feeding and correcting other relevant behaviors depends on the framing of educational messages. This study aimed to compare different types of message framing on maternal behaviors in complementary feeding of infants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was performed on 96 mothers in three groups of 32 subjects with four-month-old infants in Isfahan (central Iran) during May-September 2018. Data were collected through self-report using a valid researcher-made questionnaire including demographic factors, knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and the complementary feeding related behaviors of mothers. For 4 months, the mothers received gain-framed messages in the GF group and loss-framed messages in the LF group from two different channels. The control group only received routine education. Data analysis was performed in SPSS20 using paired t-test, ANOVA, and Chi-square at the significance level of below 0.05. RESULTS: In this study, all three groups were matched in terms of demographic characteristics and mean scores of attitude, knowledge, and self-efficacy regarding the complementary feeding of their infants. Following the intervention, the mean knowledge score increased in all three groups and was more favorable in the intervention groups compared to the control group. However, no difference was observed between the GF and LF groups regarding their knowledge. In addition, the GF and LF groups were similar in terms of self-efficacy and behavior of mothers concerning the appropriate onset of complementary feeding. Meanwhile, the mean scores of attitude and behavior of mothers regarding the timely onset, diversity, and appropriateness of continuing complementary feeding were higher in the LF group compared with the GF group. CONCLUSION: Framing messages changes the attitude and knowledge and improves behaviors related to complementary feeding. The interesting point is the different impacts of different types of framing on psychological and behavioral variables. In general, loss-framed messages have more effects on the attitude and certain parts of maternal behaviors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT, IRCT20180901040919N1. Registered 29 October 2018, https://en.irct.ir/trial/33782.