Aims: Occupational hazards in healthcare settings threaten the safety of medical students, whose protective behaviors during clinical training are vital for their well-being and patient care. This study applied protection motivation theory to identify key determinants of protective behaviors among medical students.
Instrument & Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2025 among 420 medical students at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, selected through multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected using demographic and protection motivation theory-based questionnaires. Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses were performed using SPSS 18.
Findings: Participants had a mean age of 22.45±3.90 years; 61% were female. Perceived susceptibility (p=0.003), intention (p<0.001), and behavior (p=0.002) significantly predicted protection motivation. Self-efficacy (p=0.001), intention (p=0.001), and protection motivation (p=0.002) significantly predicted protective behaviors.
Conclusion: Self-efficacy, intention, and protection motivation are the strongest determinants of students’ safety behaviors.