Abstract
This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study to confirm the knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practice behaviors of university students concerning COVID-19 and to identify the factors that influence preventive practice behaviors. The number of study subjects was calculated using G*power program 3.19. The data collected from the study were analyzed using SPSS/WIN version 25. The subject's characteristics, knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices against COVID-19 were analyzed with descriptive statistics, and the difference in knowledge, attitude, and prevention practices against COVID-19 according to the subject's characteristics was evaluated using an independent t-test, ANOVA, and post-hoc test was conducted using a Scheffé test. Correlations of knowledge, attitude, and prevention practices against COVID-19 were analyzed using Pearson Correlation coefficients, and factors affecting COVID-19 prevention practices were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression. The number of subjects analyzed in the study was 232. The general characteristics of the study subjects were 78 males (33.7 %) and 154 females (66.3 %). The subject's knowledge score about COVID-19 was 85.13±6.22 out of 100 points, and the attitude score toward COVID-19 was 12.47±1.31 out of 14 points. The prevention practice score for COVID-19 was 29.36±3.42 out of 32 points. As a result of the study, knowledge about COVID-19 was found to have a significant positive correlation with attitude (r=.34, p<.001); COVID-19 prevention practice behavior was found to have a significant positive correlation with knowledge (r=.54, p<.001), and attitude (r=.62, p<.001). The main factors influencing the COVID-19 prevention practice behavior were knowledge, attitude, and major (Cosmetology major).