The role of psychosocial factors in the increase of health behaviors facing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction - The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is a major health crisis modern world has to counter. Due to the highly contagious nature of this virus and the rapid growth of infections in many countries specific medical recommendations have been formed to reduce spread of the virus. Aim of the study is determine the psychosocial factors related to obeying medical recommendations against SARS-CoV-2 pandemic during the stage of increasing government’s restrictions and limitations. Method – The study included 319 participants (261 women and 58 men) aged 18-66 yrs (M=25). The study was carried out via the Internet from 21st March, 2020 to 27th March, 2020. The sample group included participants chosen using “snowball” effect. Results - It has been shown that the higher anxiety of falling ill, the higher tendency to obey health behaviors towards SARS-CoV-2 (r = .13, p < .001). In order to explain what factors undertaking health behaviors towards SARS-CoV-2 depends on, structural equation modeling was applied including HMB model variables. It has been shown that the benefits and barriers have a significant impact on compliance with health behavior towards SARS-CoV-2 (ß = 0.45, p <0.001). Conclusions – At the beginning of a pandemic, while increasing restrictions perceived barriers and perceived benefits of obeying health recommendations are significant for explaining health behaviors towards SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Perceived risk is less important. Higher intensity of health anxiety, understood as a fear of infection (likelihood of illness) is related to obeying the health behaviors towards SARS-Cov-2.