en <span style=font-size:11pt><span style=line-height:normal><span style=font-family:Calibri,sans-serif><b><span style=font-size:10.0pt><span cambria= style=font-family:><span style=color:#4f81bd>Aims:</span></span></span></b><span style=font-size:10.0pt><span cambria= style=font-family:> The World Health Organization recommends preventive behaviors despite the approval of several vaccines to control COVID-19. Mass media and digital technologies also play an important role in addressing public health issues. This study aimed to investigate the protection motivation theory constructs by COVID-related information channels on protective behaviors against COVID-19 in southwestern Iran.</span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style=font-size:11pt><span style=line-height:normal><span style=font-family:Calibri,sans-serif><b><span style=font-size:10.0pt><span cambria= style=font-family:><span style=color:#4f81bd>Instrument & Method</span></span></span></b><b><span lang=EN-GB style=font-size:10.0pt><span cambria= style=font-family:><span style=color:#4f81bd>s:</span></span></span></b><b> </b><span style=font-size:10.0pt><span cambria= style=font-family:>In this cross-sectional descriptive study from July to August 2021, 255 patients referred to urban health centers were included by simple random sampling. Data were analyzed by SPSS 24 software using correlation and regression tests.</span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style=font-size:11pt><span style=line-height:normal><span style=font-family:Calibri,sans-serif><b><span lang=EN style=font-size:10.0pt><span cambria= style=font-family:><span style=color:#4f81bd>Findings:</span></span></span></b><span lang=EN style=font-size:10.0pt><span cambria= style=font-family:> 32.2% of the participants received COVID-19 information through radio, TV, and satellite, and 30.6% through WhatsApp and Telegram social networks. Awareness predicted 11% of protective behavior (p<0.001; R=0.118; β=0.343). Protective motivation (behavioral intention) predicted 49.5% of behavior (p<0.001; R=0.495; R²=0.487).</span></span><b><span lang=AR-SA dir=RTL style=font-family:IRANSharpSmall Light,sans-serif></span></b></span></span></span><br> <span style=font-size:11pt><span style=line-height:normal><span style=font-family:Calibri,sans-serif><b><span style=font-size:10.0pt><span cambria= style=font-family:><span style=color:#4f81bd>Conclusion:</span></span></span></b><span style=font-size:10.0pt><span cambria= style=font-family:> Using protection motivation theory</span></span> <span style=font-size:10.0pt><span cambria= style=font-family:>by information channels facilitates preventive behavior against COVID-19. </span></span></span></span></span><br> Motivation,COVID-19,Health Behavior,Information Sources,Intention,Fear, 325 331 http://hehp.modares.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-75292-1&slc_lang=en&sid=4 M. Changizi 1003194753284600309405 0000000234605767 Yes Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran B. Cheraghiyan 1003194753284600309406 1003194753284600309406 No “Hearing Research Center” and “Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health”, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran H. Mohamadian 1003194753284600309407 1003194753284600309407 No Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran S. Ghorbani Kalkhajeh 1003194753284600309408 1003194753284600309408 No Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran F. Maghsoudi 1003194753284600309409 1003194753284600309409 No Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran Sh. Salmanzadeh 1003194753284600309410 1003194753284600309410 No Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran