The Associations Between Fear of COVID-19 and Preventive Behaviors Among People in Gaza Strip, Palestine Volume 5 - Issue 2

Abdelrahman Khaled Al helou¹, Mohammed Issam Altallaa², Ameer Khaleel Shehada³, Samer Abuzerr^4,5*, Osama Jabr Emad⁶, Azzam Abuhabib^7,8 and Abdel Hamid el Bilbeisi⁹

• ¹Mental Health hospital, Ministry of Health, Gaza, Palestine
• ²Psychologist, Al Tawasol Forum Society, Gaza, Palestine
• ³Kamal Adwan Medical Complex, Gaza, Palestine
• ⁴Visiting Scholar with the School of Public Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, Canada
• ⁵Quality Improvement and Infection Control Unit, Ministry of Health, Gaza, Palestine
• ⁶Mental Health General Directorate, Ministry of Health, Gaza, Palestine
• ⁷Crisis Management Consultant, Gaza, Palestine
• ⁸Water Technology Ph.D. Joint Programme, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG), Gaza, Palestine
• ⁹Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al Azhar University of Gaza, Palestine

Received:April 26, 2021;   Published:May 06, 2021

Corresponding author:Samer Abuzerr, Visiting Scholar with the School of Public Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, Quality Improvement and Infection Control, Ministry of Health, Gaza Strip, Palestine

DOI: 10.32474/SJPBS.2021.05.000208

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health emergency that could severely impact mental health. Fear of COVID-19 or its risk perceptions is strongly associated with COVID-19 preventive behaviors. This study aimed to examine the associations between the anxiety of COVID-19 and preventive behaviors among People in the Gaza Strip. The sample consists of 682 participants. A cross-sectional online survey design was used; all participants completed the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and preventive behavior scale. The required data were collected and analyzed. The mean fear of COVID-19 score was 2.51 (SD = 0.83, range: 7–35), while the mean score for preventive behavior was 2.48 (SD = 0.38, range: 3–30). Besides, results showed participants from the North Gaza governorates and those with low educated levels had the highest level of fear of COVID-19. In contrast, females and highly educated participants were more likely to engage in preventive behaviors than other participants. Our findings show no significant associations between fear of COVID-19 and adherence to preventive behaviors. It is essential to continue monitoring the psychological reactions of people during the outbreak.

Keywords: COVID-19; Fear; Preventive Behaviors; Palestine; Gaza Strip.

Abstract| Introduction| Methods| Instrument| Results| Discussion| Conclusion| Acknowledgment| Author Contributions| Declaration Of Conflicting Interests| Funding| References|