Social dynamics of dengue preventive Behavior: insight from peri-urban communities, using the Health Belief Modal
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Abstract
Dengue is a prominent public health issue and serves as a hurdle in achieving the 3rd sustainable development goal i.e. health for all. In recent years, Pakistan also has witnessed a significant outbreak of dengue fever, marked by a substantial increase in cases and fatalities. In the absence of an effective vaccine and specific treatment, preventive behavior at individual, household and community level has great importance. The transmission of dengue is influenced by a variety of factors such as environmental, social, economic, demographic, uncontrolled population growth and urbanization. The main objective of the study is to investigate the role of social dynamics in dengue preventive behavior of the respondents. This study utilized a modified version of the Health Belief Model (HBM) to analyze how perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, health motivation, perceived benefits and perceived barriers along with other social dynamics influence dengue preventive behavior. Data were collected from 387 randomly selected survey participants in five high-risk peri urban communities of District Faisalabad. Results show that socioeconomic indicators, such as income and education, emerge as significant determinants of dengue preventive behavior, with higher income and education levels positively associated with greater dengue preventive behavior. Financial concerns and poor environmental conditions were major perceived barriers. The study's outcome sheds light on how awareness levels, perceived susceptibility and severity, health motivation, and perceived benefits greatly influence preventive behaviors towards dengue. A significant proportion of the population was aware of dengue transmission and prevention methods, yet gaps in consistently implementing these behaviors remain. The findings emphasize the need to strengthen community-based interventions, enhance collective self-efficacy, and align public health strategies with local social contexts for sustainable dengue prevention.