Young Adult's Health-Preventive Behaviors toward Coronavirus Disease 2019

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore the young adult's coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health-preventive behaviors in Saudi Arabia. METHODOLOGY: Semi-structured virtual interviews regarding health-preventive behaviors were conducted with 35 participants during the lockdown because of the pandemic. The Health Belief Model was used in the analysis and data presentation. RESULTS: Young adults had feelings of fear, loneliness, anxiety, irritability, easy distraction, loss of concentration, and depression during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants in this study were aware of the benefits of applying the health-preventive actions. The reported barriers hinder some of them from using some of the COVID-19 health-preventive steps are mainly related to social distancing and the curfew on some people. The participants reported their confidence in their COVID-19 health preventive knowledge and stated that they could protect themselves and others from getting infected with COVID-19. CONCLUSION: According to HBM, they strongly believe in health actions efficacy in their country and followed the COVID-19 health-preventive actions. Participants had a positive perception regarding the threat and severity of COVID-19 infection. Financial consequences of the curfew, noncompliance with the preventive actions' and lack of awareness of the importance of the health-preventive activities of some people are among the barriers to applying the COVID-19 health-preventive measures.