Factors Influencing Preventive Behaviors for COVID-19 in Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine how undergraduate nursing students' knowledge and health beliefs affected their COVID-19-related infection-prevention behaviors. METHODS: This study used a descriptive survey. A total of 188 undergraduate nursing students from two universities in South Korea participated in this study. The data were collected from June 2020 to August 2020. Factors influencing infection-prevention behaviors were identified using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The participants' mean knowledge level regarding COVID-19 was 84.05 ± 11.78 out of 100. The average health belief score was 2.80 ± 0.32 points out of 5. COVID-19-related preventive health behaviors were correlated with experiences of searching for COVID-19 information (r = .22, p < .01), perceived severity (r = .24, p < .01), perceived benefits (r = .29, p < .01), cues to action (r = .30, p < .01), knowledge (r = .27, p < .01), and perceived barriers (r = -.19, p < .05). Factors that significantly affected COVID-19-related preventive health behaviors were the participants' years of study, experiences regarding COVID-19 prevention education, perceived severity, perceived barriers, and cues to action. CONCLUSION: COVID-19-related preventive health behaviors are promoted by increasing awareness about the disease and promoting COVID-19 education in nursing curriculums. © 2022 Korean Society of Nursing Science.