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The perceived threat of COVID‐19 and its impact on hygienic precautionary behaviors: A multi‐countries study
Author(s) -
Alzaatreh Mohammad Yousef,
AlMaraira Obay A.,
Khrais Huthaifah,
Alsadi Mohammad Rafe,
AbuKmail Hanan,
Bottcher Bettina
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
public health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.471
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1525-1446
pISSN - 0737-1209
DOI - 10.1111/phn.13060
Subject(s) - pandemic , environmental health , perception , nonprobability sampling , population , covid-19 , risk perception , sample (material) , cross sectional study , medicine , psychology , demography , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , pathology , chromatography , chemistry , neuroscience , sociology
Objective(s) To explore the perceived threats of COVID‐19 and how it changed the personal hygienic precautionary behaviors across multiple countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Design A cross‐sectional descriptive design was used to survey the four targeted MENA countries: Jordan, Palestinian territories, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Sample A nonprobability convenience sampling design was utilized. The link to the survey questionnaire was distributed through social media groups within Facebook ® and Twitter ® . The groups are known and accessible by known across the general population at the targeted countries. Measurement Data was collected using The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and an adapted instrument that examine the hygienic precautionary behaviors during COVID‐19 pandemic. Results Answers of participants ( n = 2604) were valid and included in the study. The results show that a minimal perception of threat among the participants on most of the BIP‐Q5 items (M = 12.9, SD = 7.2). Moreover, the highest compliance rates to recommended hygienic precautionary behaviors were found among populations above the age of 50 years (F = 2.89, p = .04), females (t = 5.18, p = .003), being married (F = 3.09, p = .029), and being a health care professional (t = ‐2.20, p = .028). Conclusion The perceived threat of COVID‐19 and compliance rates with the recommended hygienic precautionary behaviors among Arab societies were found to below and need critically urgent attention.