Assessmentof Knowledge, Attitude, and Factors Associated with the Preventive Behaviors of Covid-19 in Qom, Iran, in 2020

Background and Objectives: Preventive behaviors are indispensable to the reduction of the prevalence and severity of the complications of Covid-19 disease. Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of the individual are the explanatory variables contributing to the adoption of these health behaviors. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, perception, attitude, and some factors associated with the preventive behaviors of Covid-19 in Qom.   Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 2423 cases who were selected by cluster sampling method in Qom in 2020. Data were collected using an online researcher-made questionnaire. This 44-item questionnaire encompassed the domains of COVID-19 related knowledge (20 items), COVID-19 perceived threat (5 items), attitude (6 items), and preventive measures (13 items).   Results: The mean scores of knowledge, attitude, perceived threat, and preventive behaviors were obtained at 94.5%, 93.05%, 76.92%, and 88.42%, respectively. Preventive behaviors were significantly correlated with knowledge and attitude, and attitude was the strongest predictor of behavior (B= 0.362; P<0.001).   Conclusion: The obtained results pointed to the high level of COVID-19-related knowledge, perception, and preventive behaviors among the residents of Qom.