Health Literacy and Behavior in Preventing Corona Virus 2019 Infection among Novices in a Buddhism Schools in Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive research aims to study the health literacy and preventive behavior of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among novices at Phrapariyatthamma school in Khon Kaen province. The samples were 96 novices and were selected by using a simple random sampling. Data were collected by using questionnaires that were validated for content validity by 3 experts. The reliability of the health literacy and the COVID-19 prevention behavior questionnaire were tested with Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.89 and 0.96, respectively. Data were analyzed by using frequency distribution, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Chi-Square test and estimate the confidence interval by using 95% Confidence Interval of Crude Odds Ratio.

The results showed that most of novices had health literacy and understanding of health information at a high level (60.42 and 58.33%.), but the health literacy in self-health behavior change, the interacting, asking questioning and sharing knowledge, health decision-making, and sharing of health information were a moderate (52.08, 50.00, 48.96 and 48.96% respectively). Most of them were at a good level for behavior in preventing COVID-19 (53.13%). The sharing of health information, interacting, asking questioning and sharing knowledge, health decision-making, self-health behavior change and the understanding of health information relationship was significant related to COVID-19 prevention behavior (p-value = 0.002, 0.007, 0.007, 0.020 and 0.030, respectively) but the understanding of health information accessing health information and health services have no statistically significant (p-value = 0.177). Therefore, teachers, senior monks, or healthcare officials should organize educational initiatives to provide knowledge to novice monks about health literacy. The goal is to enhance their understanding of COVID-19 prevention and to help them recognize the importance of collaborative disease prevention efforts and social responsibility.