The effect of health awareness on avoidance and protection behaviors from COVID-19 in individuals

In this study, the relationship between individuals' health awareness levels and their behaviors to avoid and protect against COVID-19 was examined. 384 individuals between the ages of 18-65 residing in the province of Istanbul were included in the study. Questionnaire method was used to obtain data in the research. Questionnaires were sent to the participants online. Voluntary consent form was signed by the participants. The data of the study were obtained by using the "Personal Information Form", "Healthy Life Awareness Scale " and "Perception and Attitudes Assessment Scale towards the Covid-19 Pandemic". SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 25.0 and AMOS 23.0 were used for statistical analysis. In the study, 64.8% of the participants were women, 59.9% were single, 45.1% were between the ages of 18-25, 49.5% had undergraduate degrees, 62% had an income equal to their expenses, and 53.6% was found to be working. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were found to be 0.923 in the health awareness scale and 0.915 in the perception-attitude and avoidance scale towards the Covid-19 epidemic. Perceptions and attitudes towards the Covid-19 epidemic affect the general dimension socialization sub-dimension negatively (reducingly) by 11.0%. Perceptions and attitudes towards the Covid-19 epidemic affect the general dimension of responsibility positively (increasingly) by 10.9%, the nutrition dimension by 9.1% and the general dimension of health awareness by 12.0%. It was found that the sub-dimensions of change, disease perception and avoidance behaviors and the general dimension of awareness of healthy living differed according to gender (p≤0.05). The sub-dimensions of socialization, perception of control and avoidance were found to differ according to marital status (p≤0.05). It was found that the sub-dimensions of socialization, perception of reasons, perception of control and avoidance behavior differ according to education level (p≤0.05). Responsibility, change and avoidance behaviors sub-dimensions were found to differ according to income status (p≤0.05). According to the SEM estimation results, health awareness has a positive and significant effect on perception-attitude-avoidance towards COVID-19. Keywords: COVID-19, Health awareness, Behavior, Prevention, Avoidance