Risk Perception, Media, and Ordinary People’s Intention to Engage in Self-Protective Behaviors in the Early Stage of COVID-19 Pandemic in China
Tao Xu, Xiaoqin Wu College of Law and Political Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Tao Xu, College of Law and Political Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, People’s Republic of China, Email xutao@zjnu.edu.cnObjective: This...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Risk Management and Healthcare Policy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/risk-perception-media-and-ordinary-peoples-intention-to-engage-in-self-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RMHP |
| _version_ | 1828430383924903936 |
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| author | Xu T Wu X |
| author_facet | Xu T Wu X |
| author_sort | Xu T |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tao Xu, Xiaoqin Wu College of Law and Political Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Tao Xu, College of Law and Political Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, People’s Republic of China, Email xutao@zjnu.edu.cnObjective: This study aims to examine how risk perception is associated with engagement in preventative behaviors and testing during the COVID-19 pandemic in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in China.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in February 2020, eventually obtaining 1613 participants, participants’risk perceptions, demographics (sex, age, education level, marital status, and employment status), as well as their engagement in self-protective behaviors and testing were assessed.Results: Risk perception significantly affected intention to engage in self-protective behaviors, the more risk people feel, the more likely they intend to take self-protective actions(β =0.0423; P < 0.01), and simultaneously, people obtaining information on COVID-19 from Official microblogs and public accounts(OMPA) (β =0.189; P < 0.01)and Online websites(OW) (β =0.143; P < 0.1)were more inclined to take self-protective behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also showed that the interaction of risk perception and Online websites negatively affected the intention to engage in self-protective behaviors(β = − 0.0374; P < 0.05), and conversely, the interaction of risk perception and Overseas media(OM) positively affected self-protective intention(β = 0.0423; P < 0.1).Conclusion: There was a close relationship between the risk perception and the intention to engage in self-protective behaviors. At the same time, the use of media not only directly affected the intention to engage in self-protective behaviors but also moderated the impact of risk perception on the self-protection intention. Specifically, official media directly strengthened the intention to engage in self-protective behaviors. Online websites not only directly affected self-protection intention but also moderated the effect of risk perception on it. Although overseas media had no direct effect on self-protection intention, they moderated the effect of risk perception on it. These conclusions have policy implications for governments’ response to the COVID-19 epidemic.Keywords: risk perception, media, intention to engage in self-protective behaviors, COCID-19 pandemic, self-protective behaviors |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T17:47:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b111cc71c5cf45db9fa54c29a8a90b8a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1179-1594 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T17:47:51Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Risk Management and Healthcare Policy |
| spelling | doaj.art-b111cc71c5cf45db9fa54c29a8a90b8a2022-12-22T01:39:10ZengDove Medical PressRisk Management and Healthcare Policy1179-15942022-07-01Volume 151459147176888Risk Perception, Media, and Ordinary People’s Intention to Engage in Self-Protective Behaviors in the Early Stage of COVID-19 Pandemic in ChinaXu TWu XTao Xu, Xiaoqin Wu College of Law and Political Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Tao Xu, College of Law and Political Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, People’s Republic of China, Email xutao@zjnu.edu.cnObjective: This study aims to examine how risk perception is associated with engagement in preventative behaviors and testing during the COVID-19 pandemic in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in China.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in February 2020, eventually obtaining 1613 participants, participants’risk perceptions, demographics (sex, age, education level, marital status, and employment status), as well as their engagement in self-protective behaviors and testing were assessed.Results: Risk perception significantly affected intention to engage in self-protective behaviors, the more risk people feel, the more likely they intend to take self-protective actions(β =0.0423; P < 0.01), and simultaneously, people obtaining information on COVID-19 from Official microblogs and public accounts(OMPA) (β =0.189; P < 0.01)and Online websites(OW) (β =0.143; P < 0.1)were more inclined to take self-protective behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also showed that the interaction of risk perception and Online websites negatively affected the intention to engage in self-protective behaviors(β = − 0.0374; P < 0.05), and conversely, the interaction of risk perception and Overseas media(OM) positively affected self-protective intention(β = 0.0423; P < 0.1).Conclusion: There was a close relationship between the risk perception and the intention to engage in self-protective behaviors. At the same time, the use of media not only directly affected the intention to engage in self-protective behaviors but also moderated the impact of risk perception on the self-protection intention. Specifically, official media directly strengthened the intention to engage in self-protective behaviors. Online websites not only directly affected self-protection intention but also moderated the effect of risk perception on it. Although overseas media had no direct effect on self-protection intention, they moderated the effect of risk perception on it. These conclusions have policy implications for governments’ response to the COVID-19 epidemic.Keywords: risk perception, media, intention to engage in self-protective behaviors, COCID-19 pandemic, self-protective behaviorshttps://www.dovepress.com/risk-perception-media-and-ordinary-peoples-intention-to-engage-in-self-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RMHPrisk perceptionmediaintention to engage in self-protective behaviorscocid-19 pandemicself-protective behaviors |
| spellingShingle | Xu T Wu X Risk Perception, Media, and Ordinary People’s Intention to Engage in Self-Protective Behaviors in the Early Stage of COVID-19 Pandemic in China Risk Management and Healthcare Policy risk perception media intention to engage in self-protective behaviors cocid-19 pandemic self-protective behaviors |
| title | Risk Perception, Media, and Ordinary People’s Intention to Engage in Self-Protective Behaviors in the Early Stage of COVID-19 Pandemic in China |
| title_full | Risk Perception, Media, and Ordinary People’s Intention to Engage in Self-Protective Behaviors in the Early Stage of COVID-19 Pandemic in China |
| title_fullStr | Risk Perception, Media, and Ordinary People’s Intention to Engage in Self-Protective Behaviors in the Early Stage of COVID-19 Pandemic in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Risk Perception, Media, and Ordinary People’s Intention to Engage in Self-Protective Behaviors in the Early Stage of COVID-19 Pandemic in China |
| title_short | Risk Perception, Media, and Ordinary People’s Intention to Engage in Self-Protective Behaviors in the Early Stage of COVID-19 Pandemic in China |
| title_sort | risk perception media and ordinary people rsquo s intention to engage in self protective behaviors in the early stage of covid 19 pandemic in china |
| topic | risk perception media intention to engage in self-protective behaviors cocid-19 pandemic self-protective behaviors |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/risk-perception-media-and-ordinary-peoples-intention-to-engage-in-self-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RMHP |
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