The predictors of COVID-19 preventive health behaviors among adolescents: the role of health belief model and health literacy

AIM: The present study aimed to evaluate the predictive role of the Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs and health literacy (HL) in shaping the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preventive health behaviors (PHBs) among adolescents. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 503 adolescent girls and boys, randomly selected via cluster sampling. For this purpose, the data were collected online through four research tools, including the demographic-clinical characteristics information questionnaire, the COVID-19 PHB Scale based on HBM, and the Health Literacy Scale for COVID-19. The data analysis was then performed by regression analysis along with the structural equation modeling (SEM), considering the significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: The regression analysis results demonstrated that following the one-unit increase in the values of self-efficacy and cues to action, the COVID-19 PHBs elevated by 0.063 and 0.078 units, respectively. In addition, the COVID-19 PHBs subsided by 0.018 with the rise in the value of perceived barriers (P < 0.001). According to the path analysis, the direct path from the COVID-19-related HL to the COVID-19 PHBs (B = 0.097, β = 0.087, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.005 to 0.189) was significant. Furthermore, the indirect path from the COVID-19-related HL to the COVID-19 PHBs through perceived susceptibility (B = 0.017, β = 0.015, 95% CI = 0.001 to 0.032), perceived barriers (B = 0.029, β = 0.026, 95% CI = 0.004 to 0.055), self-efficacy (B = 0.094, β = 0.084, 95% CI = 0.031 to 0.156), and cues to action (B = 0.153, β = 0.137, 95% CI = 0.092 to 0.215) was significant. CONCLUSION: In keeping with the study results, it is essential to take some effective measures to boost the HBM constructs and HL among adolescents to improve their PHBs during pandemics such as COVID-19.