The main aim of our research was to determine socio-cognitive determinants related to preventive behaviors of HB among nurses in the west of Iran based on TPB. Our findings showed that positive attitude and perceived behavior control were the most influential predictors of doing prevention behaviors of HB.
Based on our findings among the background variables, positive history of HB in family, women gender and higher education level were significantly associated with performed prevention behaviors of HB. Moreover, our result indicated the 58.5% of nurses in this study had completed HB vaccination as the most important of the prevention behaviors of HB, which is similar to other studies in the field investigating the HB vaccination status among healthcare workers (21, 22).
The positive family history of HB was related to a performed higher score of preventive behaviors of HB. Consistent with the findings of our study, the findings of the studies by Adekanle et al carried out research on hospital workers in Ethiopia and indicated risk perception was the main determinant of HB preventive behaviors (23). In addition, Yousafzai et al in their study indicated perceived threat as the predictor of sharps injuries among health care workers (24). It seems participants who had a positive history of HB in the family, had a high level of perceived risk towards HB.
Another finding of our study indicated the score of preventive behaviors of HB among women was significantly much more than among men. These findings suggested that men compared to women are more in need of getting information about the important role of preventive behaviors of HB.
Our study also showed that the preventive behaviors of HB were associated with higher education, which is in line with the findings of earlier studies investigated the HB prevention behaviors among health care workers. For example, Karaivazoglou et al in their study among health care personnel in southwestern Greece indicated a positive association between HB vaccine acceptability and higher education level (25). In general, higher education level is the predictor of the probability of performing healthy behaviors (26). According to these findings, it seems that particular attention must be paid to people with a lower education level while planning educational programs.
Several studies have shown that the TPB constructs can explain health behaviors such as preventive behaviors of HB (13-20). In this regard, Askelson et al reported attitude was the best predictor of mothers’ intentions to vaccinate their daughters of Papillomavirus (13). The significant role of attitudes has been cited in previous human HPV vaccine acceptability studies (18, 20). Because of the importance of’ healthcare workers attitudes on preventive behavior, further study should explore ways to influence their attitudes.
As well as, our results showed that perceived behavioral control was a strong predictor for the prevention behaviors of HB. Several studies indicated perceived behavior control or self-efficacy as a strong predictor for explains healthy behaviors. For example, Kahn et al in their study reported the efficacy was the primary factor driving participants' decisions about recommending HPV vaccines (27). Moreover, Gerend et al carried out research among women ages 18–26 and reported self-efficacy as a key predictor of human HPV vaccine uptake (15). Also, Roberto et al indicated pediatricians have positive PBC toward encouraging parents to get their daughters vaccinated against HPV (17). These findings provide a foundation for planning health promotion program targeting health care workers in doing the prevention behaviors of HB.
Finally, our findings indicated TPB variables were statistically significant for predicting the prevention behaviors of HB which, they were accounted for 22% of the variation in the prevention behaviors of HB. In this regard, Juraskova et al indicated the TPB constructs predicted 54% of the variance in HPV vaccination intention (16). Moreover, Bennett et al carried out research in 143 women at a Midwestern university and indicated social-cognitive predictors including health belief model (HBM) and TPB constructs explained 60% of the human HPV vaccine in intentions (19).
Conclusion
This research provides a foundation for planning health promotion program to increase the prevention behaviors of HB. Further research should explore ways to influence healthcare workers perceived behavior control and attitudes towards doing the prevention behaviors of HB.