Analysis of Preventive Behaviors of Rural Tourism Hosts in the Face of COVID-19 Pandemic: Application of Health Belief Model

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is one of the most severe public health crises in recent history. Therefore, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its negative effects on the health of rural tourist hosts and the rural community, it is necessary to pay attention to the conservation and health behaviors of rural tourist hosts. This study was conducted with the purpose of analyzing preventive behaviors of rural tourism hosts in the face of COVID-19 pandemic with the application of the health belief model (HBM) that is one of the most widely used models to study behavior to prevent and control diseases. In this study, all 80 tourism hosts of tourism target villages in Kermanshah province (the west of Iran), were studied as study population. A questionnaire was used to collect data which its validity and reliability were confirmed. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using Smart PLS software was used to analyze the data. The results of SEM indicated that perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, self- efficacy, perceived benefits, and cues to action accounted for 56% of the variance of “COVID-19 preventive health behavior” among the hosts of rural tourists in Kermanshah province. Moreover, the perceived susceptibility was the strongest predictor of preventive health behavior, while perceived barriers were not significant on behavior. Therefore, planning based on the HBM with emphasis on increasing awareness to improve and modify the health behavior of rural tourist hosts is recommended.

EXAMINING FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19 PREVENTIVE HEALTH BEHAVIORS

Preventive health behaviors are defined as the behaviors undertaken to avoid getting sick and to minimize the effects of the illness. Preventive health behaviors that vary according to each illness are affected by different psychosocial variables. The aim of this study is to determine the psychosocial factors that affect preventive health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, for both COVID-19 patients and non-patients in Turkey, and examining the changes over time. The participants of the first wave study consisted of a total of 747 people, 372 (%48.8) of them were diagnosed with COVID-19 whereas 375 (%50.2) of them were not diagnosed with COVID-19. The second wave of the study consisted of a total of 515 participants, 264 (%51.3) of them were diagnosed with COVID-19, whereas 251 (%48.7) of them were not diagnosed with COVID-19. In addition to the Informed Consent Form; Socio-Demographic and Health Information Form and COVID-19 Preventive Health Behavior Questionnaire were given to volunteer participants via online survey link, with two months interval. As a result of the analyses, presence of chronic disease made a significant changes in the current level of adaptation to preventive health behavior for both groups. while being married and being over 46 years of age were other variables that made a significant difference in individuals diagnosed with COVID-19. In addition, it was found that belief in the effectiveness of preventive health behaviors increased over time, regardless of the state of diagnosis. It is thought that the findings will guide health practices by identifying psychosocial factors affecting the preventive health behaviors during COVID-19 pandemic, and shed light on the researchers for the future studies. Keywords COVID-19, preventive health behavior, psychosocial factors

The influence of mothers' health beliefs and attitudes on prevention of infectious diseases on preventive health behaviors of late school-aged children

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in preventive health behaviors of school-age children according to their mothers' health beliefs and attitudes toward the prevention of infectious diseases. Methods: This study was conducted with 121 pairs of 4th to 6th grade elementary school children and their mothers from October 13 to October 30, 2020. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, an independent t-test, a one-way ANOVA, Sheffé’s test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis and a multiple linear regression.Result: The mean and SD of mother's health belief in preventing infectious diseases was 3.58±0.41, the mean and SD of mother's attitude toward preventing infectious diseases was 3.39±0.38, and the mean and SD of late school-age children's preventive health behavior was 3.52±0.37. The multiple linear regression results show that the children's vaccination behavior was influenced by their mothers’ perceived benefits in preventing infectious diseases. In addition, the child's vitamin C and vegetable consumption was influenced by the mother's perceived susceptibility in preventing infectious diseases, and the child's mask-wearing behavior was influenced by the mother's perceived seriousness in preventing infectious diseases. Conclusion: In order to improve the health behavior of school-aged children, programs or education are required to enhance the health beliefs and attitudes of their mothers, who were shown to affect the preventive health behavior of their children.

Exploring the Complex Pathways between the Fear of COVID-19 and Preventive Health Behavior among Nigerians: Mediation and Moderation Analyses

Since COVID-19 currently has no proven cure but high morbidity and mortality; many people are living in fear of the virus along with other mental health challenges induced by the lockdowns and social distancing. Hence, this study aims to provide evidence on the co-occurrence and inter-relations between the fear of COVID-19, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and psychological distress in adherence to preventive health behavior among Nigerians. It also seeks to determine whether this process differs for men and women. The sample comprised 1,172 consenting young adults (mean age = 22.9 ± 6.6 years, 54.5% females) selected using a snowball sampling technique. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the mediation model of post-traumatic stress symptoms and psychological distress as parallel and serial mediators of the relationship between the fear of COVID-19 and preventive health behavior. The indirect effect of the fear of COVID-19 on preventive health behavior across gender was tested using moderation analysis. Results showed that post-traumatic stress symptoms and psychological distress serially and fully, in causal order, mediated the association between the fear of COVID-19 and preventive health behavior, and gender moderated the mediation effects. The research provides evidence that the fear of COVID-19 could trigger preventive health behavior through post-traumatic stress symptoms but reduces it through psychological distress, whereas the fear of COVID-19 has a slightly more positive impact on preventive health behavior among men.

What Drives Preventive Health Behavior During a Global Pandemic? Emotion and Worry

Background & Purpose Primary prevention of COVID-19 has focused on encouraging compliance with specific behaviors that restrict contagion. This investigation sought to characterize engagement in these behaviors in U.S. adults early during the pandemic and to build explanatory models of the psychological processes that drive them. Methods US adults were recruited through Qualtrics Research Panels (N = 324; 55% female; Mage = 50.91, SD = 15.98) and completed 10 days of online reports of emotion, COVID-19 perceived susceptibility and worry, and recommended behaviors (social distancing, hand washing, etc.). Factor analysis revealed behaviors loaded on two factors suggesting distinct motivational orientations: approach and avoidance. Results Changes in approach and avoidance behaviors over the 10 days indicated large individual differences consistent with three types of participants. Discrete emotions, including fear, guilt/shame, and happiness were associated with more recommended behaviors. Fear and COVID-19 worry indirectly influenced each other to facilitate more behavioral engagement. While emotions and worry strongly predicted individual differences in behavior across the 10 days, they did not predict as well why behaviors occurred on one day versus another. Conclusions These findings suggest how daily affective processes motivate behavior, improving the understanding of compliance and efforts to target behaviors as primary prevention of disease.

Factors Affecting the Extent of Patients’ EMR Use: An Empirical Study Focusing on System and Patient Characteristics (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Patients’ access to and use of electronic medical records (EMRs) places greater information in their hands, which helps them better co-manage their health, leading to better clinical outcomes. Despite numerous benefits that promote health and well-being, patients’ acceptance and use of EMRs remains low. OBJECTIVE This study aims to examine the critical system and patient characteristics that influence the extent of patients’ EMR use. METHODS We employed the patient technology acceptance model as a starting point and included new constructs specific to patient characteristics, such as chronic conditions, preventive health behavior, and issue involvement. To test our hypotheses, we used structural equation modeling. RESULTS The statistically significant drivers of the extent of EMR use were performance expectancy (β = 0.253; P < .000), perceived behavior control (β = 0.236; P < .000), health knowledge (β = -0.071; P < .01), caregiving status (β = 0.059; P < .05), issue involvement (β = 0.356; P < .000), chronic conditions (β = 0.071; P < .05), and preventive health behavior (β = 0.076; P < .01). The model accounted for 32.9% of the variance in the extent of EMR use. CONCLUSIONS The study found that health characteristics, such as chronic conditions and patient disposition (e.g., preventive health behavior and issue involvement), directly affect the extent of EMR use. The study also revealed that issue involvement mediates the impacts of preventive health behaviors and the presence of chronic conditions on the extent of patients’ EMR use.

Influence of Korean professional male basketball players' characteristics on preventive health behaviors during COVID-19

Background and objective: The whole world is suffering extensive damage from COVID-19, and even the world of sports cannot escape this situation. Preventive behavior against COVID-19 is crucial to minimizing this damage. Therefore, this study analyzed data examining preventive behaviors of all Korean professional basketball players, providing empirical evidence of the relationship between preventive health behavior and Big-5 factors depending on socio-demographic variables. Material and methods: Using an online survey, data were collected from 106 players registered with the Korean Basketball League in the 2019-2020 season. Results: Married players and those with more years of experience were more thorough in managing injuries and preventing infections. Among the Big-5 personality traits, conscientiousness had a significant effect on COVID-19 prevention and health management behavior. Players low on neuroticism demonstrated higher performance in terms of injury management behavior. Conclusions: These results provide critical insight regarding the preventive health behavior of professional sports players. The findings can serve as basic data for enhancing COVID-19 preventive behavior of male basketball players, and as a reference for a decrease in damage in professional sports leagues from COVID-19 and normal management and maintenance.