Understanding How People Make Decision about Preventive Behavior against COVID-19: A Case from Rural Areas in Western Iran

The COVID-19 pandemic is the most significant health challenge humans experienced since World War 2, and its course can be affected by the stringency in undertaking individual and collective protective behavior. In this study, the health belief model structures in adopting the protective behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic were assessed. A sample of 375 household heads living in the rural areas of Lorestan Province was selected through a multi-stage stratified and random sampling method. Structural equation modeling showed that knowledge, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, self-efficacy, and cues to action affect the protective behaviors of Iranian rural households during COVID-19. Cues to action and knowledge were the most important predictors of protective behaviors in rural households. The results suggest the necessity to emphasize enhancing knowledge to highlight the negative impacts of COVID-19 and train rural households regarding the proper and effective preventive measures.