Fahimeh Pourhaji - Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Fatemeh Pourhaji - Department of Public Health, School of Health Health Sciences Research Center Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences
Hadi Tehrani - Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mahdi Talebi - Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
Nooshin Peyman - Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

Background and Objective: Coronaviruses (COV) is a large group of viruses that can infect humans and cause diseases ranging from the common cold to acute respiratory syndrome. Social anxiety and stress responses are an important consequence of the coronavirus outbreak in world. This study aimed to examine key elements related to perceived threat and stress responses in the face of coronavirus based on the health belief model.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted on ۲۰۰ participants after prevalence of SARS-CoV-۲ in Iran from April to August ۲۰۲۰. The study population were selected through convenience sampling from residents who lived in Razavi Khorasan province, Iran. The survey assessed the participant's demographic information, perceived threat of SARS-CoV-۲ infection, stress responses using originally developed assessment scores. Results: The mean age of the participants was ۳۱.۷ (SD ۷.۶) years. Many respondents were females (۶۱.۵%; n: ۱۲۳) and age of from ۲۷ to ۳۶ occupied the majority of the population (۴۰.۵%; n: ۸۱). The results showed the mean score of perceived threat was ۳۷. ۶±۳. ۹ (۳۷.۰۴-۳۸.۱۵; ۹۵% CI) and the mean scores of stress response was ۲۹.۱۹±۸.۰۴ (۲۸.۶-۳۰.۳۱; ۹۵% CI). There was a significant relationship between the perceived threat variable and stress responses (r = ۰.۴۵, p<۰.۰۵).Conclusions: In the Iran population, perceived susceptibility and severity of SARS-CoV-۲ infection was very high. This suggests some impact of the COVID-۱۹ pandemic on communities’ behavioral responses in Iran. The findings of this study would contribute to the timely behavioral assessment of the community benefits to improve the preventative interventions and risk communication strategies during an epidemic.

Coronaviruses, theory, health education, health promotion, Health belief model