Risk Perception and Social Factors Affecting Protective Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic in an Iranian Sample

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of people worldwide. Considering that no specific pharmaceutical treatment exists for this disease, the best way to deal with it is through prevention. However, many people in the community do not implement preventive behaviors. It is necessary to pay attention to the effective psychological and social factors of preventive behaviors. The present study aims to investigate the risk perception of infectious diseases following psychological factors and social variables, such as age, gender, family structure, occupation, income, and saving as social factors. A sample of 371 adults in the age range of 18 to 60 years (224 females and 147 males) was selected via the convenience sampling method from Karaj City, Iran. They answered questions about social variables, vulnerability to infectious diseases questionnaire, and questions about protective behaviors according to the World Health Organization protocol on COVID-19. The results showed that in the psychological dimension, self-risk assessment and vulnerability to infectious diseases can predict COVID-19-related preventive behaviors. In the social dimension, the family structure, gender, and familial and social relationships of individuals predicted protective behaviors in individuals. Therefore, prevention is essential for controlling the pandemic and it is necessary to consider the risk factors in every society.