Fear of COVID-19, risk perception and preventive behavior in health workers: a cross-sectional analysis in middle-income Latin American countries

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the association between fear of COVID-19 and risk perception with preventive behavior in health professionals from four Latin American countries. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted. Health professionals with on-site care in Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Peru were surveyed. Information was collected through an online self-report questionnaire. The main variables were preventive behavior as the dependent variable and fear of COVID-19 and risk perception as independent variables. Linear regression was used, and unstandardized beta coefficient and value of ps were calculated. Four hundred and thirty-five health professionals were included, the majority were aged 42 years or older (45.29, 95%CI: 40.65–50.01) and female (67.82, 95%CI: 63.27–72.05). It was shown that the greater the fear of COVID-19, the greater the preventive behavior of COVID-19 infection (B = 2.21, p = 0.002 for total behavior; B = 1.12, p = 0.037 for additional protection at work; B = 1.11, p < 0.010 for hand washing). The risk perception of COVID-19 infection had a slight direct relationship with preventive behaviours (B = 0.28, p = 0.021 for total behavior; B = 0.13, p = 0.015 for hand washing), with the exception of the preventive behavior of using additional protection at work (p = 0.339). We found that fear and risk perception are associated with increased practice of hand washing and use of additional protection at work. Further studies are required on the influence of working conditions, job performance and the occurrence of mental health problems in frontline personnel with regard to COVID-19.

Health risk perception and exercise intention of college students: a moderated mediation model of health anxiety and lay theories of health

“…The results of this study show that there is a significant positive correlation between health risk perception and exercise intention, thus verifying Hypothesis 1. Many health behavior models propose that risk perception is a key contributor to people's willingness to undertake behavioral changes (Yildirim et al, 2020 ; Bonilla-Asalde et al, 2023 ). Risk perception plays an important role in human self-protection and social behavior.…”

Social support for overcoming fear of contagion at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional study in Latin America

“…This element clearly differentiates this pandemic from other previously studied health emergencies, such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, armed conflicts, and even other epidemics that have not had the same global reach as the novel SARS-CoV-2. Fear and risk perception were associated with prevention behaviors such as hand washing ( Commodari et al, 2020 ; Bonilla-Asalde et al, 2023 ). Fear could initially be an adaptive coping strategy by motivating the adoption of preventive behaviors, but it eventually affects the well-being and clinical decision-making capacity of professionals ( Becerra-Medina et al, 2022 ; Rosales Vaca et al, 2022 ) and could deteriorate the quality of patient care ( Schiess et al, 2021 ).…”