Drivers of Protective Behavior of Rural Households in Zanjan Province in the Conditions of the Covid-19 Pandemic and the Effect of Economic Components

Covid-19 is the third pandemic disease in the 21st century, which has seriously threatened human health, as well as economic, social, cultural, and even environmental relations. The rural society of Iran, as a society that has received less attention in health studies, has suffered many negative effects and consequences under the influence of the Covid-19 epidemic. By combining theories of protection motivation and planned behavior, this study investigated the drivers of protective behavior of rural households in the context of the pandemic and the two-way effect of economic issues on protective preventive behavior. The statistical population of this survey research consisted of 70600 rural households in Zanjan province. The sample size (300 people) was determined using Cochran's formula and sampling was done by a multi-stage random sampling method. The research tool was a questionnaire, whose validity was checked and confirmed using experts' opinions. The reliability of the research tool was also confirmed using a pilot study. The results of the research showed that the hypothesized model based on perception of Covid-19, perceived threat, perceived control, attitude, subjective norm, effectiveness, real cost, and intention explain 54% of the changes in the protective behavior of the rural households. Based on the results, the economic components had a two-way effect on protective behavior. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that protective behavior had a negative effect on supplementary employment. However, restrictions on supplementary employment caused a decrease in the financial power of the rural households to pay operational costs and practice protective behaviors.