Table 4 Effects of health belief model constructs, total knowledge and demographic variables on COVID-19 preventive behaviours during the beginning of pandemic (first time of data collection)

Age

− 0.119

0.024*

− 0.101

− 0.007

Sex (male vs. female)

0.031

0.547

− 0.637

1.199

Residence (rural vs. urban)

0.087

0.107

− 0.166

1.694

Education (low vs. high)

0.148

0.009*

0.395

2.724

Occupation (HCWs vs. others)

0.380

< 0.001*

2.381

4.328

Socioeconomic standard

(Low to middle vs. high)

0.042

0.403

− 0.623

1.543

Perceived susceptibility 1

0.162

0.004*

0.303

1.526

Perceived severity 1

0.002

0.978

− 0.184

0.190

Perceived barriers 1

− 0.131

0.013*

− 0.175

− .021

Perceived benefits 1

0.239

< 0.001*

0.356

1.067

Perceived self-efficacy 1

0.158

0.005*

0.207

1.158

Cues to action 1

− 0.001

0.979

− 0.307

0.299

Total knowledge 1

0.065

0.227

− 0.122

0.511