ABSTRACT
Aims: Throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the role of students in transmitting the infection has received special attention aiming at protecting the younger generation against COVID-19 and other known respiratory diseases. This research aimed to specify factors related to Covid-19 preventing behaviors in high school students. Instrument & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 2852 students aged 13 to 18 in Hamadan in 2020. Participants were selected using the multistage cluster sampling method. The data were collected with a researcher-made EPPM questionnaire. Data were analyzed statistically by Stata 14.2 software using the Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. Findings: The vast majority of students (67.02%) were in the danger control response phase. The response efficacy (77.3%) and perceived efficacy (75.3%) had the highest percentage of the mean from the maximum obtainable score among constructs of the model. There was a significant difference between categories of the EPPM model with doing healthy behaviors. Moreover, the proportion of doing health behaviors was significantly higher in students in the danger control phase. Conclusions: The predominance of the perceived threat of COVID-19 on the perceived efficacy affects preventive health behaviors. Therefore, a theory-based behavioral modification program can be developed based on gender among high school students. Higher grade students and poor socioeconomic status require intense educational interventions to modify their hygienic behaviors. © 2021, the Authors.
ABSTRACT
Background: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was first reported in Wuhan, China, and has since then spread worldwide, resulting in a large number of hospitalizations and deaths. To the best of our knowledge, the study about the mental health status (depression, anxiety, and stress) among high school students during COVID-19 has not been performed in Iran. Objective: This study was performed to investigate rates of anxiety, depression, and stress among high school students during the pandemic of COVID- 19. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed among high school students (12-18 years) from 30 April until 1 June 2020, in Hamadan City, west of Iran. In total, 2852 students contributed to the present study. Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) was used in this study. Statistical analyses were conducted in STATA 14 with a significant level of 0.05. Results: The present study showed that although stress status was normal among most high school students (70.3%), the status of anxiety and depression was high. The boys had reported a higher proportion of normal status of depression (51.62% vs. 44.97%), anxiety (31.71% vs. 26.91%), and stress (77.66% vs. 66.10%) compared to the girls. Also, students in grades 7-9 had reported a higher percentage of normal status in all three dimensions of stress, anxiety, and depression. Conclusion: These findings suggest that as rates of depression and anxiety are high, schoolage children may benefit from policymakers and other authorities' active role.