Page 132 - IJPS-10-4

International Journal of
Population Studies Household on teens’ COVID-19 prevention

1. Introduction in-person schooling (Carlitz & Makhura, 2021; Dorward
et al., 2021; Wet-Billings & Anyanzu, 2022). During this
The South African government instituted a countermeasure period, there was an increase in mental and emotional
against COVID-19 in March 2020 (Adebiyi et al., 2021), stress, intimate partner violence, and unemployment
which had a significant impact on many individuals, (Ndlovu et al., 2022; Posel et al., 2021). A study found that
particularly the youth. However, there is a limited adults who lost their jobs due to the lockdown in South
understanding of how household characteristics influenced Africa experienced higher rates of depression than those
adolescents’ behavioral changes and their adoption of who remained employed (Posel et al., 2021). Many parents
preventive measures during the pandemic. COVID-19 was also struggle with the demands of working from home
transmitted primarily through close contact with infected or being unemployed while supporting their children
individuals (Garba et al., 2020) and spread through physical (Cantillon et al., 2021; Rich et al., 2022). In addition, in
contact or droplets that were inhaled or came into direct many communities, families, including young people,
contact with the eyes, nose, or mouth (Li, 2021). According were infected. This resulted in increased responsibilities
to Allan et al. (2022), the World Health Organization, for young people due to the impact of household factors
the Africa Center for Disease Control (Africa CDC), and (Rich et al., 2022). Low-income households and those with
the CDC and Prevention, instituted precautionary to curb special needs were particularly impacted by the pandemic
the spread of the virus and they encouraged individuals to in South Africa (Rich et al., 2022). These factors also
adopt prescribed measures, including social distancing, affected youth employment and education, and the ensuing
frequent hand-washing, and the regular use of face masks. lockdown along with additional household responsibilities
During this period, the most common symptoms were likely made it difficult for young people to learn effectively
dry cough, fever, and tiredness (Simpeh & Amoah, 2023). and adhere to safety procedures (Rich et al., 2022; Wet-
Due to the severity of the infection, many nations made Billings & Anyanzu, 2022).
concerted efforts to publicize both behavioral measures
introduced and the preventive practices, as well as the The health belief model (HBM) provides a theoretical
symptoms of the virus, to minimize its spread (Wet-Billings foundation for understanding how behavioral changes and
& Anyanzu, 2022). preventive practices were adopted during the COVID-19
pandemic. The HBM is one of the earliest models in the
In South Africa, both printed and electronic media study of health behavior, developed by social psychologists
were used to inform citizens about the spread of the Irwin M. Rosenstock et al. in the 1950s (Drestalita et al.,
COVID-19 infection and the importance of testing for the 2022; Jones & Wallis, 2022; Roberts & David, 2021). It is
virus (Nawe & Garaba, 2021). These campaigns, including a theoretical framework that explains and predicts health-
the contributions of health-care professionals, played a related behaviors in populations or groups. Its original
significant role in controlling the infection and mitigating purpose was to identify the factors contributing to people’s
the mortality rates associated with COVID-19 (Wet- refusal to participate in health-care surveillance initiatives.
Billings & Anyanzu, 2022). However, during this period, The HBM states that a person’s health-related decisions
many hospitals faced severe shortages of personal protective are influenced by their beliefs about their susceptibility
equipment, beds, and oxygen for infected patients, which to sickness, the severity of the medical conditions, the
placed a significant strain on the health-care system (Moyo benefits of taking preventive actions, and the barriers
et al., 2021). This situation demonstrates the numerous to those actions (Campos-Mercade et al., 2021; Jones
challenges faced by the South African health-care system & Wallis, 2022). Considering the perceived benefits,
and underscores that public education campaigns and The HBM, for example, highlights how an adolescent’s
regulations for prevention and symptom monitoring have understanding of their presumed susceptibility to the
not always been fully effective. COVID-19 virus and the severity of its effects might impact

Many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including their decision-making when it comes to whether or not to
South Africa, faced challenges in managing their health- embrace preventative therapy. Low preventive measures
care systems during this period. The COVID-19 regulations, and behavioral changes among young people may also be
particularly the lockdown, which forbade people from caused by adolescents’ inadequate financial strength to
leaving their homes except for essential reasons, disrupted cope with the realities surrounding the infection where
daily life for everyone (Eyawo et al., 2021; Nechifor et al., they congregate (Duby et al., 2022). In addition, poverty
2021; Wet-Billings & Anyanzu, 2022). From March to May and lack of access to basic amenities such as radio,
2020, a “hard lockdown” at levels 5 and 4 enforced the televisions, water, and electricity contributed to increased
strictest regulations, including banning the sale of alcohol infection among young people in South Africa due to
and tobacco, closing stores and malls, and suspending limited knowledge of the disease’s symptoms (Muchanga,

Volume 10 Issue 4 (2024) 126 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.2751