Predictors of COVID-19 preventive behaviours in a sample of the Turkish population

Cemile Savci; Ayse Cil Akinci

doi:10.1111/ijn.13048

Predictors of COVID-19 preventive behaviours in a sample of the Turkish population

Int J Nurs Pract. 2022 Apr;28(2):e13048. doi: 10.1111/ijn.13048. Epub 2022 Mar 3.

Authors

Cemile Savci¹, Ayse Cil Akinci^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul, Turkey.
² School of Nursing, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, USA.

Abstract

Aim: This research aimed to determine predictors of COVID-19 preventive behaviours in a sample of the Turkish population.

Methods: The study was conducted with 575 individuals. COVID-19 preventive behaviours were evaluated with a 19-item scale scored from 19 to 95. Knowledge on COVID-19 was evaluated with a 22-item scale scored from 0 to 22. General health literacy was evaluated with the Turkey Health Literacy Scale (THLS), which was scored from 0 to 50.

Results: The average COVID-19 preventive behaviours score was moderately high in this sample of the Turkish population. Being female, having a higher level of education, better economic status, being a non-smoker, having a higher level of COVID-19 knowledge and better general health literacy score were significant predictors of COVID-19 preventive behaviours (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge of COVID-19 and general health literacy are crucial in preventing COVID-19 infections in a sample of the Turkish population.

Keywords: COVID-19; health literacy; knowledge; pandemic; preventive behaviours.

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / epidemiology
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Educational Status
Female
Health Behavior
Health Literacy*
Humans
Male
Surveys and Questionnaires
Turkey / epidemiology