The Relationship Between Fear of Contagion\Transmission and Communicable Disease Risk Awareness and Ways of Prevention in Vocational School Students of the University

Aim: This study aimed to determine students' risk awareness and protection levels regarding communicable diseases as well as their levels of fear of transmission. It aimed to evaluate them as independent variables and investigate their relationship. Material and Methods: It is a cross-sectional study. The study sample consisted of 509 university students. Data were collected using Communicable Diseases Risk Awareness and Protection and Fear of Contagion/Transmission scales. Data were analyzed using the Student t-test, and Pearson correlation. Results: The mean scores of the communicable disease risk awareness and prevention scales (145.73± 17.05) and the fear of contagion/transmission scale (89.65±16.58) were above the midpoint. Risk awareness and protection level regarding communicable diseases and fear of contagion/transmission were found to be significantly higher in girls, 2nd grade students, those with chronic diseases and those who stated that they had never had a communicable disease. Age and awareness of communicable disease risk and protection level were positively correlated. There was also a positive correlation between the communicable disease risk awareness and prevention scale and the fear of contagion/ transmission. Conclusion: The study results reveal the students' awareness of risk and protection against communicable diseases and fear of contagion and transmission. It shows the importance of gender, class, presence of chronic disease and previous communicable disease on risk awareness, protection and fear of communicable diseases.