Self-Care Behaviors in Preventing COVID-19: A Health Belief Model-Based among Families in Yazd City

Background: Identification of self-care behaviors and barriers in the COVID-19 pandemic can help health policymakers design appropriate and practical plans. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of self-care behaviors in preventing COVID-19 based on the health belief model (HBM) among families in Yazd City. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted using the convenience sampling method in 2020. The research data were collected via a researcher-made questionnaire based on the HBM.  The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed before its distribution on social networks. A total of 226 questionnaires were collected and analyzed using SPSS software version 22. Results: The results showed no significant correlations between the mean scores of HBM constructs and participants’ age, gender, and education level (p 0.05). Also, the linear regression test indicated that perceived self-efficacy (B = 0.88), perceived susceptibility (B = 0.63), and perceived intensity (B = 0.74) were the most predictive constructs, demonstrating statistical significance. (P 0/05). The HBM constructs could significantly predict preventive behaviors of COVID-19 and accounted for 29.6 % of their changes (Adjusted R2 = 0.296, F = 18.85, p ≤ 0.000). Conclusion: Implementing effective interventions based on the health belief model, with a particular focus on improving self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility, and perceived severity can reduce the incidence of COVID-19  and its associated complications.