Public Perceptions About Covid-19 Prevention Measures in Ganting Parak Gadang Village, Padang Timur District

Background: The dominant factors that influence Covid-19 prevention behavior can be divided into three domains; knowledge, attitude and action. Knowledge is the result of knowing after people have sensed certain objects. Attitude describes whether a person like or dislike towards an object. Action is a response to a stimulus that is active and observable.Methods: This study aims to determine the public's perception towards Covid 19 Prevention in Ganting Parak Gadang Village, East Padang. The type of research used is the Winshield Survey. The sample used 24 families by random sampling at TNI AD Ganting Parak Gadang dormitory, RW: 08 consists of RT 01,02,03,04,05,06.Results: The results of this research showed that the respondents' perceptions of 100% considered the current situation is seriously in dangerous and should not be considered as trivial cases, 62% of handling COVID-19 carried out preventive behaviors such as maintaining immunity, 71% of people's behavior in worshiping choosing to worship at home, as much as 75% did not go to planned events. Knowledge of respondents 84% still doubted and did not know about the symptoms of covid 19 and as much as 23% did not know about OTG covid 19 is 62% knew from social media.Conclusions: The conclusion in this study are attitude and the highest percentage of preventive actions in the good category compared with the lower percentage of prevention knowledge. The suggestion in the study is that the public is expected to maintain health protocols by continuing to follow government recommendations in efforts to prevent Covid-19.

They Learn from Home: Deschooled Learning, Preventive Behavior, and Mental Health of Students during COVID-19 Lockdown in Bangladesh

Background: In the age of extreme importance of schooling education, deschooled learning has received less importance. The purpose of this study is to explore deschooled learning and its effectiveness on preventive behaviors and mental health conditions of students in Bangladesh.Methods: This study was designed following the quantitative method, and 1,085 responses were collected from social media platforms, using the snowball sampling technique. Binary logistic regression was used to measure and infer the proposed association.Results: As per fully-adjusted regression models, the individuals who had more deschooled learning were 1.667 times (95% CI= 1.191, 2.332; P= 0.01) and 1.426 times (95% CI= 1.038, 1.958; P= 0.05) more likely to prevent contact from symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers, respectively. Moreover, the persons with higher deschooled learning were more likely to have better mental health conditions including less fear (B= -0.462; 95% CI= -0.955, 0.030; P= 0.1), lower anxiety (B= -0.482; 95% CI= -0.844, -0.119; P= 0.01), and more perceived vulnerability (B= 1.292; 95% CI= 0.497, 2.087; P= 0.01). Conclusion: This study adds that policymakers may formulate health plans and policies for initiating informal health literacy (IHL) that may help increase deschooled learning and informal knowledge among individuals especially during a pandemic situation (like COVID-19) and help them to be safe by adopting preventive behaviors and maintaining better mental health conditions in low-income settings like Bangladesh.

Knowledge, Attitudes, Risk Perceptions, and Practices of Spanish Adolescents Toward the COVID-19 Pandemic: Validation and Results of the Spanish Version of the Questionnaire

Background: Adolescence is a period with physical, psychological, biological, intellectual, and social changes in which there is usually little perception of risk. COVID-19 has generated constant situations of change and uncertainty worldwide. During the pandemic, the acquisition of preventive behaviors has been relevant. Various studies carried out with adults associate risk perception and the implementation of preventive behaviors with knowledge about the COVID-19 and with age, but there are not many studies with adolescents. Therefore, the objective is to validate, in Spanish, the questionnaire of the knowledge, attitudes, risk perceptions, and practices of adolescents toward the pandemic, and analyze it according to sociodemographic characteristics.Method: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study, which included adolescents between the ages of 12–18 (n = 354). First, a translation and a back-translation of the questionnaire were performed. The questionnaire was presented in several high schools chosen by convenience sampling and following a non-probabilistic snowball sampling. Reliability and validity analyses were then carried out and the relationships between the different sociodemographic variables (gender, place of residence, level of education, if the person was in a sentimental relationship, and financial aid) were analyzed.Results: The reliability of the questionnaire is acceptable (ordinal alpha = 77%). Knowledge was higher in women, and in those with a higher level of education; and were lower in those who lived in smaller towns, as well as in those who had a member of their family receiving financial aid. In terms of attitudes and risk perceptions, younger adolescents had higher scores, and those who had a member of their family receiving financial aid, lower.Conclusion: The questionnaire is a reliable tool in the Spanish adolescent population. Knowledge was influenced by gender, place of residence, level of education, and financial aid. Attitudes and risk perceptions were influenced by age and financial aid. For practices, no predictors were found. In general, adolescents scored lower on knowledge about COVID-19, but they scored higher on COVID-19 safety practices.

Application of protection motivation theory (PMT) on skin cancer preventive behaviors amongst primary school students in rural areas of Fasa city-Iran

Background Considering that exposure to sunlight in childhood and adolescence has an important role in skin cancer, so it seems that training protective behaviors in this period is more effective. Objectives To survey the application of protection motivation theory (PMT) on skin cancer preventive behaviors among students in rural areas of Fasa city, Iran. Methods This study was done in two stages: Phase I of this study, the descriptive-analytic and cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 to investigate the predictive value of the protection motivation theory on skin cancer preventive behaviors. In the second stage, a quasi-experimental interventional study was conducted on 400 primary school students in 2019. The educational intervention was performed in the experimental group for 8 sessions. Data were collected using a demographic information questionnaire and protection motivation theory before and six months after the intervention. Results The constructs of protection motivation theory predicted 58.6% of skin cancer preventive behaviors. The results indicated that there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of knowledge, perceived sensitivity, perceived severity, reward, fear, protection motivation, response efficacy, self-efficacy, response costs, and the skin cancer preventive behaviors in before the intervention (p > 0.05). However, six months after the intervention, the experimental group showed a significant increase in each of the mentioned constructs and skin cancer protective behaviors (p < 0.05). Conclusion This study showed the effectiveness of the intervention based on the PMT constructs in adoption of skin cancer preventive behaviors in 6 months’ post intervention in primary school students.

Reflections on nursing and COVID-19 in light of health education

ABSTRACT Objective: To reflect on the nursing and pandemic of COVID-19 considering health education, health promotion, and the Ottawa Charter action areas. Methods: A theoretical-reflexive study on health education and health promotion concepts and the areas of action presented in the Ottawa Charter. Results: Educational actions are present in the contexts of epidemics and pandemics, as well as in the work of nurses, who need to be increasingly based on dialogue and individual and collective empowerment to enable users to adopt healthy and preventive behaviors - in this case, concerning COVID19. However, this professional needs effective and efficient public policy actions and measures based on scientific assumptions of health promotion. Final considerations: The actions of health education need to be increasingly valued because knowledge can be considered the first “vaccine” to combat any pandemic.

Perceived Fear and Preventive Behaviors of Pregnant Women during COVID-19 Pandemic in Western Nepal

INTRODUCTION: The perceived fear of COVID-19 is expected to have a significant positive impact on preventive behaviors as it triggers people to prevent themselves against threats. People take necessary actions to engage in preventive behaviors if they perceive high fear of transmission of disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional analytical study was conducted to find out the perceived fear and preventive behaviors of pregnant women during COVID-19 pandemic. One hundred and fifty normal pregnant women attending Antenatal Checkup (ANC) out-patient department and ward of Universal College of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UCMSTH), Rupandehi were selected by using purposive sampling technique. Structured interview schedule was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used for analysis with Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version 16. RESULTS: The study findings revealed that more than half of the respondents had high level of fear regarding COVID-19. Although participants were largely engaged in all preventive behaviors like wearing facemask, hand washing, covering nose and mouth, cleaning and disinfecting and maintaining healthy diet, while maintaining social distance, avoiding public transport, avoiding crowd, exercising regularly and quitting tobacco and alcohol were the least. There was positive correlation between perceived fear and preventive behaviors although it was not proved significantly. CONCLUSION: The study findings concluded that more than half of the respondents had high level of fear regarding COVID-19. Adequate counseling and reassurance of these pregnant women in the current scenario might reduce their fears and increase the probability of adapting preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19.

Adherence to Recommended Preventive Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Empathy and Perceived Health Threat

Background Coping via empathic responding may play a role in preventive behavior engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, and unlike trait empathy, is a potentially alterable target for changing health behavior. Purpose Our goal was to examine the role of empathic responding in preventive behavior engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, independent of trait empathy and perceived threat of COVID-19. Methods Participants (N = 2,841) completed a baseline survey early in the pandemic, and a follow-up survey approximately 2 weeks later (M = 13.50 days, SD = 5.61). Preventive health behaviors, including physical distancing and hygiene practices, were assessed at both timepoints. Hierarchical linear regression examined the contributions of trait empathy, perceived threat of COVID-19, and empathic responding at baseline to preventive behaviors at follow-up. Results Controlling for baseline levels of preventive behaviors and demographic covariates, trait empathy and threat of COVID-19 at baseline were each independently associated with preventive behaviors at follow-up. An interaction between perceived threat and empathic responding indicated that those perceiving high threat of COVID-19 at baseline tended to report engaging in preventive behaviors at follow-up regardless of their levels of empathic responding, whereas for those reporting low levels of perceived threat, higher levels of empathic responding were associated with higher engagement in preventive behavior. Conclusions When perceived threat of COVID-19 was low, higher empathic responding was associated with increased engagement in preventive behaviors regardless of trait empathy, suggesting that empathic responding can serve as an actionable target for intervention to promote preventive behavior during the pandemic.

Determinants of Intention and COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors Among the Urban Population: The Use of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)

Background and Purpose: COVID-19 is a new viral disease that has led to a pandemic due to its high infectivity. Since many people do not have access to available vaccines, preventive behavior is the only way to fight the disease. Despite the great emphasis on preventive behaviors, many people do not follow them so that the etiology of this issue seems necessary; hence, the present study aimed to determine the predictors of intention and COVID-19 preventive behaviors using the theory of planned behavior.Materials and Methods: The present study was descriptive-analytical and was conducted among individuals over 18 years of age living in Urmia. Samples were selected by snowball and convenience sampling. Data were collected using a valid and reliable electronic researcher-made questionnaire consisting of 4 sections (demographic characteristics, questions about knowledge, questions about constructs of the theory of planned behavior, and questions about COVID-19 preventive behaviors), and they were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistical methods.Results: The results indicated a positive and statistically significant correlation between the COVID-19 preventive behaviors and constructs, namely the attitude (p<0.001, r=0.65), subjective norms (p<0.001, r=0.67), perceived behavioral control (p<0.001, r=0.72), and behavioral intention (p<0.001, r=0.76). Based on regression analyses, the constructs of the theory of planned behavior predicted a total of 65% of the variance of COVID-19 preventive behaviors and 73% of the variance of the behavioral intention. Among the constructs, behavioral intention (p<0.001, β=0.393) was the strongest predictor of behavior, and perceived behavioral control (p<0.001, β=0.546) was the strongest predictor of behavioral intention.Conclusion: The research results indicated the efficiency of the theory of planned behavior in predicting the COVID-19 preventive behaviors; hence, the theory and its effective constructs, especially behavioral intention, can be utilized in the development of educational programs and interventions to change the citizens' behavior towards COVID-19.