Predictors of Self-Care Behaviors to Prevent the Contagion of COVID-19 in Chile

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has become the main epidemiological crisis of the century, leading to the adoption of various self-care behaviors. The effectiveness of these preventive strategies depends on the adherence of the population. The objective was to establish predictors of adherence to self-care behaviors for the prevention of COVID-19 transmission in the Chilean population aged 18 and above. A non-probabilistic sample of 1,033 individuals completed a virtual questionnaire using a cross-sectional design. Self-report scales were used to assess risk perception, pro-care norms, and self-care behaviors against COVID-19. Using hierarchical multiple regressions, it was found that gender, risk perception, and pro-care norms against COVID-19 significantly and directly predicted the use of masks, hygiene behaviors, and social distancing. Age only predicted higher adherence to hygiene behaviors, and socioeconomic status only predicted the use of masks and social distancing. In all self-care behaviors, the interaction between risk perception and pro-care norms suggested that at low levels of pro-care norms, risk perception enhances the adoption of these behaviors. Based on these findings, it is suggested to develop strategies that promote self-care behaviors based on risk perception, considering variables such as gender, age, and socioeconomic status, through the creation and maintenance of pro-care norms that take into account the relationships between individuals and significant others in the perception of the positive evaluation of their health behaviors.