The Application of the Health Belief Model (HBM) for the Assessing Preventive Behavior against COVID-19 among Nursing Students in Thailand
Issara Siramaneerat¹, Sarinthorn Mungkhamanee², Wanida Chawajaroenpan³, Pattawan Choolert⁴, Lilit Sirisabjanan⁵, Onjira Mangkalamanee²
Affiliation : ¹ Department of Social Science, Faculty of Liberal Art, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT), Pathum Thani, Thailand, ² Praboromarajchanok Institute for Health Workforce Development, Ministry of Public Health, Ratchaburi, Thailand, ³ Boromarajonani College of Nursing Nopparat Vajira, Praboromarajchanok Institute, Bangkok, Thailand, ⁴ Boromarajonani College of Nursing Chakriraj, Praboromarajchanok Institute, Ratchaburi, Thailand, ⁵ Boromarajonani College of Nursing Nonthaburi, Praboromarajchanok Institute, Nonthaburi, Thailand
Background: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in China and spread quickly to other parts of the world. To prevent and eliminate widespread transmission of the disease, it is vital that everyone acts in compliance with precautions.
Objective: To assess the preventive health behavior against COVID-19 of nursing students in Thailand based on the health belief model (HBM).
Materials and Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among nursing students by using a questionnaire survey. The data of 620 nursing students were collected between July 6 and July 17, 2020. The significant differences among individual characteristics were tested by using independent t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Scheffe’s post-hoc ANOVA difference test. To predict the factors influencing COVID-19 preventive behavior, univariate coefficient (βU) and multivariate coefficient (βm) were derived by using univariate and multivariate linear regression models.
Results: Preventive behaviors against COVID-19 were significantly affected by knowledge about COVID-19 (β=0.574, p<0.01), perceived severity of COVID-19 (β=0.494, p<0.01), perceived benefits of COVID-19 prevention (β=0.207, p<0.05), and cues to action (β=1.150, p<0.01) among sophomore (β=1.648, p<0.01), junior (β=2.764, p<0.01), and senior (β=2.794, p<0.01) nursing students.
Conclusion: Knowledge about COVID-19 and cues to action were found to be the most significant contributors to preventive behaviors against COVID-19. Therefore, knowledge of disease prevention behaviors for nursing student has to be practiced continuously to become habits that lead to long-term results.
Received 6 January 2022 | Revised 1 August 2022 | Accepted 9 August 2022
DOI: 10.35755/jmedassocthai.2022.10.13676
Keywords : COVID-19; Preventive behavior; Nursing student
