COVID-19 Perceptions: Applying the Health Belief Model

https://doi.org/10.28991/SciMedJ-2021-0304-4
COVID-19 Sudan Severity Susceptibility Health Belief Model Perception.

Authors

  • Elwalid Fadul Nasir 1) Associate Professor, Preventive Dentistry Department, College of Dentistry, King Faisal University, Al Ahsaa, Saudi Arabia. 2) Associate Professor, Community Dentistry Department, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Science and Technology, Omdurman,, Sudan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5909-7423
  • Ahmed Khalid Elhag 3) Lecturer. Restorative Dentistry Department, College of Dentistry, King Faisal University, Al Ahsaa, Saudi Arabia. 4) Lecturer. Restorative Dentistry Department, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Science and Technology, Omdurman,, Sudan
  • Hatim Mohammed Almahdi
    hyagoob@kfu.edu.sa
    5) Assistant Professor. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, College of Dentistry, King Faisal University, Al Ahsaa, Saudi Arabia. 6) Assistant Professor, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Science and Technology, Omdurman, Sudan., Saudi Arabia
Vol. 3 No. 4 (2021): December
Research Articles

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This study aimed to explore the Sudanese COVID-19-related perceptions on preventive measures using the Health Belief Model, a psychosocial frame that explains and predicts health-related behaviours. A cross-sectional using an online-questionnaire through social media platforms, or channels. A snowball sampling technique was used. Descriptive analyses using frequencies and percentages for categorical variables, mean (±SD) for numerical variables. Bivariate relationships between the variables were assessed using a t-test. We conducted multiple variable analysis using the correlation between HBM constructs. Eight hundred seventy-seven participants with a mean age 37.8 (SD±11.94), primarily males, had a university education, employed and residing in Khartoum. Scores of 69% self-efficacy prevent COVID-19, 60% perceived severity if infected with COVID-19, 54% perceived susceptibility to COVID-19. Furthermore, high scores reported for hand hygiene barriers 50 and 53% social distancing. Self-efficacy correlated negatively with susceptibility (r=-0.084), positively with severity, benefits of and barriers to hand hygiene, benefits and barriers to social distancing (r=0.117, r=0.347, r=0.202, r=0.396, r=0.276), respectively. The lack of self-efficacy and low perception of severity and susceptibility, and increased perception of barriers to social distancing and hand hygiene among a considerable portion of the public hindered the compliance with the preventive measures.

 

Doi: 10.28991/SciMedJ-2021-0304-4

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