Predicting the Self-Care Behaviors Associated with COVID-19 in Southeastern Iran; a Cross-Sectional Study

With the new COVID-19, a global effort has been made to control and prevent the spread of the disease. Self-care behavior is known to be an effective way to prevent COVID 19. Physical distancing, hand washing are important examples of self-care actions. This study aimed to model and determine the predictors of self-care behavior about the new COVID-19.

Cross-sectional correlational design was used for this study. This study was performed on 1083 people in Kerman Province, Iran, using the available sampling method. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire based on the main constructs of the Health Belief Model and constructs derived from the review of the literature. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 22 and AMOS 18 software.

The mean age of the participants was 32.36±9.34, with an age range of 10 to 65 years. The model explained 72% of the variance in self-care behaviors. The SEM showed that self-efficacy (β=0.685; SE=0.097; p=0.001), perceived severity (β=0.419; SE=0.064; p=0.001), perceived benefits (β=0.288; SE=0.061; p=0.001), health importance (β=0.19; SE=0.063; p=0.001) and knowledge (β=0.248; SE=0.025; p=0.001) were positively and significantly related and perceived barriers (β=0.199, SE=0.046, p=0.001) was negatively and significantly related to self-care behaviors.

Constructs of self-efficacy, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, health importance, and knowledge are the main predictors of self-care and preventive behaviors associated with the novel coronavirus. Therefore, this model can promote self-care programs and predict the incidence and mortality of COVID-19.