Impact of a Blended Educational Intervention on COVID-۱۹ Preventive Behavior among Teachers: An Application of Health Belief Model

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of a blended educational intervention based on the health belief model (HBM) about COVID۱۹ on teachers' preventive behavior. Method: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on female teachers in four districts affiliated with Education Organization Karaj Iran. Then, one of these two districts was assigned to the intervention group (n=۷۰) and the other to the control group (n=۷۰) by the lottery method. The educational intervention was conducted via three online platforms. Our intervention was named BEHTA. It included a specific designed website, holding virtual and group discussion classes, and using a popular social network messenger. Result: The results showed that there was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups before training (p>۰/۰۵) but immediately and ۱۲ weeks after training, the two groups had a statistically significant difference in all constructs(p<۰/۰۵). In the control group, the mean score of knowledge, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action and self-efficacy did not differ significantly(p>۰/۰۵) but the mean score of behavior decreased (P = ۰.۰۲۷). Conclusion: The educational intervention led to improvements in all constructs regarding COVID-۱۹ in the intervention group. Therefore, the development of educational interventions to promote COVID-۱۹ preventive behaviors is suggested

Keywords:

Educational Intervention , COVID-۱۹ , Health Belief Model , Preventive Behavior