Page 138 - IJPS-10-4

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

had lower odds of adopting these measures: (AOR: 0.97; preventive measures adopted throughout the COVID-19
95% CI: 0.73 – 1.73); (AOR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.72 – 1.23); outbreak among adolescents in South Africa. The pandemic
(AOR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.69 – 1.19); (AOR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.66 was a major global health crisis that impacted the social,
– 1.20); and (AOR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.66 – 1.20), respectively. economic, and development of many nations due to the
Furthermore, an association between educational level and shutdown of schools and the lockdown of many industries/
behavioral changes was observed, with adolescents reported factories (Carlitz & Makhura, 2021; Dorward et al., 2021;
to have senior certificates, national certificates, and ABET Eyawo et al., 2021). Most of the young population was
having increased odds of behavioral changes during the largely affected by being dependent on their parents for
COVID-19 period. Meanwhile, households with access guidance (Rich et al., 2022). Therefore, there is a need to
to electricity, those with more than seven members, and further investigate the role of household-level factors on
households where at least one person received COVID-19 adolescents’ behavior changes and preventive measures
grants were also likely to adopt new behavioral measures adopted during the pandemic. This study adds to the
during the COVID-19 period. Household income from increasing body of research addressing the varied effects of
government grants and pensions was associated with a the pandemic on the lives of teenagers in South Africa by
positive change in behavior throughout the COVID-19 demonstrating a relationship between behavioral changes,
outbreak. household features, and preventive actions taken to avert
the virus and any other future pandemics.
In analyzing the preventive measures adopted during
the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, the full model, Using cross-sectional survey data, bivariate analysis
after controlling for various covariates, revealed that demonstrated that individual and household characteristics
gender, ethnicity, and education level had no significant influenced the behaviors and preventive measures taken
relationship with the adoption of preventive measures during the COVID-19 period in South Africa. The
during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adolescent women from results of this study are in alignment with similar studies
the Colored, Asian/Indian, and White racial groups (aged conducted in Nigeria and China (Gever et al., 2021; Ye
15 – 24 years) had lower odds of adopting new preventive et al., 2021), which also reported significant relationships
measures during the COVID-19 period: (AOR: 0.96; 95% between household factors and behavioral changes during
CI: 0.69 – 1.22); (AOR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.71 – 1.17); (AOR: the pandemic. This study investigated the influence
0.72; 95% CI: 0.39 – 1.31); and (AOR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.69 – of household characteristics on adolescents’ health
1.22), respectively. throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. Two
studies conducted in Kenya and Uganda in 2020 reported
Furthermore, there were notable differences in the
adoption of preventive measures across various provinces that about 23% and 15% of young individuals could not
change their behaviors because of household conditions
during the COVID-19 period in South Africa. Adolescents during the pandemic, highlighting the significance of
living in the Eastern Cape (AOR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.12 – 1.99); household characteristics in shaping the behaviors of
Free State (AOR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.35 – 2.58); Kwazulu- young individuals (Karp et al., 2021; Matovu et al., 2021).
Natal (AOR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.56 – 2.66); Gauteng (AOR: In addition, Gift et al. (2020) reported that access to
1.54; 95% CI: 1.18 – 2.02); Mpumalanga (AOR: 1.38; water in households increased the change in behaviors
95% CI: 1.02 – 1.85); and Limpopo (AOR: 2.07; 95% CI: and decreased the opportunities of being infected by
1.54 – 2.79) were likely to adopt new preventive measures coronavirus. Furthermore, Sengai et al. (2022) observed
compared to adolescents living in the Western Cape, an increase in preventive measures among adolescents in
Northern Cape, and Northwest provinces. Regarding Lesotho during the COVID-19 outbreak.
household characteristics, access to electricity, access to
water, household income, and the number of household According to the literature, there is limited evidence
members who received grants were not associated with on how household vulnerabilities affect adolescents’
the adoption of preventive measures during COVID-19, behavioral changes during the COVID-19 period in
although access to electricity, household income, and the South Africa (Posel et al., 2021). Hence, the analysis of
number of individuals receiving grants had increased odds this research highlights the importance of our results
of adopting preventive measures during the pandemic in informing public health policy and programming,
(Table 4). especially for young individuals who significantly depend
on their parents for guidance during pandemics.
4. Discussion
This study revealed that gender, ethnicity, province of
This study’s primary goal was to examine the influence residence, educational level, income, access to water and
of household characteristics on behavioral change and electricity, and household size were important factors

Volume 10 Issue 4 (2024) 132 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.2751