Identifying factors affecting Performing Preventive Behaviors against COVID-19: Application of Health Belief Model and PEN-3

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the role of health communication in health crises, particularly performing individual preventive behaviors to cope with such situations. By applying Health Belief Model (HBM) and PEN-3 model, this study aimed to identify factors affecting performing preventive behaviors against COVID-19. Using a non-probability sampling method, this correlational online cross-sectional study conducted in 2022. The population of the study included Internet users older than 18 years old. HBM and preventive behaviors questions adopted form previous studies and PEN-3 questions developed by the researcher. 422 respondents completed the research questionnaire. SPSS version 26 was used for descriptive and inferential analysis namely as frequency, mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression. Among six behaviors under investigation, washing hands (3.1 out of 5) and using gloves (0.9 out of 5) had the highest and lowest mean respectively. Performing preventive behaviors were positively correlated with perceptions, perceived self-efficacy, perceived severity, cues to action, age, educational level, economic status, vaccination status, and family history of the COVID-19. The present study predicted about 52% (R2: .516) of the variance of performing preventive behaviors among the studied sample. Considering this predictability of health belief model, PEN-3, demographic traits, health communication scholars and health education and promotion programs can utilize these models and constructs in health-relation intervention particularly in the face of pandemics.