The use of the health belief model to assess U.S. college students' perceptions of COVID-19 and adherence to preventive measures.

Abstract

Background: This study utilized the Health Belief Model to examine college students’ perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. It examined the extent to which the Health Belief Model and perceived threat are associated with the adoption of COVID-19 preventive measures among college students.Design and Methods: An online questionnaire was utilized and sent to a simple random sample of college students at a large Midwestern university in the United States between May and July of 2020. The number of undergraduate and graduate students who participated in this study was 1,723.Results: The study found that the Health Belief Model and perceived threat are significantly associated with COVID-19 preventive measures. College students with higher Health Belief Model scores were more likely to adhere to COVID-19 preventive measures than those with lower scores. College students also reported high cues to action and low perceived barriers to most of the COVID-19 preventive measures.Conclusion: Applying the Health Belief Model is crucial for health professionals and university administrators for developing effective communication messages for COVID-19 prevention and future health outbreaks. Significance for public health This study aims to examine college students’ adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures through the lens of the Health Belief Model (HBM). Mainly, it looks at how cues to action and perceived barriers may spur or hinder college students from adopting healthy behaviors. It’s imperative for school administrators and health professionals to comprehend students’ perceptions of a particular disease to craft effective and persuasive health messages that trigger adoption of healthy behaviors.