Importance-Performance Analysis of Health Perception among Korean Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study assessed the health perceptions of 333 Korean adolescents during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic via an online questionnaire administered in October 2020, which queried the perceived importance and actual performance of health behaviors. The health perception scales used in the survey consists of the six dimensions of mental health, disease, physical activity, sleep, diet, and sanitary health. The data were primarily analyzed using paired sample t-test for analysis of difference and importance-performance analysis (IPA). The IPA results were presented in four quadrants—“keep up the good work,” “concentrate here,” “low priority,” and “possible overkill.” The results indicated that first, there was a positive relationship between the importance and performance of all the subdimensions of health perception. Second, sanitary healthcare was rated as being of the greatest importance and was performed most, while physical activity management was rated least important and performed least. Third, statistically significant differences were found between importance and performance for all items of mental health, disease, physical activity, sleep, and diet dimensions, and some differences were found for items assessing the hygiene control dimension. Fourth, in the two-dimensional IPA model, “sanitary health” and “disease” are in Quadrant I (keep up the good work); “mental health,” in Quadrant II (concentrate here); and “physical activity,” “sleep,” and “diet,” in Quadrant III (low priority). No components of healthcare were in Quadrant IV (possible overkill). Based on these results, we emphasize the importance of adolescent health education and discuss solutions to enhance the performance of healthcare activities.

Changes in Alienation in Physical Education Classes, School Happiness, and Future Healthy Life Expectancy After the COVID-19 Pandemic in Korean Adolescents

“…This shows that social health has a positive impact on adolescents, even during the pandemic. Although many studies argued that adolescents' physical and mental health is at risk [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22], we observed that online and in-person hybrid PE classes promote adolescents' social healthy by lowering alienation in PE and boosting school happiness and future healthy life expectancy. To ensure adolescents' social health during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kim's (2005) [30] strategies to resolve the issue of alienation in PE should be utilized.…”

“…Furthermore, studies also note that adolescents have experienced a decline in their physical health. COVID-19 led to a spike in the prevalence of obesity among adolescents [16], diminished participation in physical activities [17][18], and lowered the level of physical activity involvement [19]. In addition, studies have also reported that adolescents showed a deteriorated health-related quality of life (HRQoL) [20] and poorer lifestyle habits [18,21,22].…”

Comparison of Health Awareness in South Korean Middle School Students According to Type of Online Physical Education Classes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…However, none of the factors were located in quadrant II (concentrate here) or IV (possible overkill), suggesting that there was no difference in health awareness between the two groups. In a previous study on the importance and performance of health awareness in adolescents, Lee, So, and Youn [21] demonstrated that hygiene and disease management were in quadrant I, while mental health, physical activity, sleep, and dietary habit management were in quadrants II and III, respectively. These findings support the results of the present study.…”

“…As shown by Lee et al, Mostert and Kesselring, and Bae and Hyeon [24,28,29], who reported the relationship between physical activity participation and health awareness, it is necessary to encourage physical activity during pandemics in order to promote adequate physical development and immunity in middle school students [21]. Intrinsically, various PE researchers have developed and implemented indoor activities that can be performed at home as the pandemic is likely to last for long.…”

“…This study employed a nominal scale that comprised two items assessing the participants' general characteristics and the type of online class attended. The tool "Health Perception Scale," developed by Ware [16] was utilized in this study; its validity and reliability were verified by Lee, So, and Youn; Barakat et al; Jones; and Lee et al [21][22][23][24]. It was modified according to the purpose of the current study to examine health awareness.…”