Mediating Effects of Attitudes, Risk Perceptions, and Negative Emotions on Coping Behaviors

Abstract

Based on the perspectives of social risk amplification and the knowledge-attitudes-practice model, this study aimed to test how the level of knowledge about COVID-19 and information sources can predict people's behavioral changes and to examine the effect mechanisms through the mediating roles of attitude, risk perception, and negative emotions in a survey of 498 older Chinese adults. The results showed that (1) older people had a lower level of factual knowledge regarding the variant strains and vaccines; (2) in the information sources-behavior, information sources had a critical influence on elderly individuals' coping behaviors; and (3) in the knowledge-behavior, factual knowledge had a significant effect on elderly individuals' coping behaviors. Specifically, for prevention behaviors, both risk perception and negative emotions played full mediating roles. The findings have significant implications for the development of an effective COVID-19 prevention program to older adults coping with pandemic conditions.

Preparedness for the Future Pandemic: Understanding the Impacts of Risk Perception in Public Health Emergencies

“…Risk perception, which refers to the subjective perception, assessment, and appraisal of risk by individuals, plays a crucial role in public health emergencies (Zhang et al, 2022). Assessing people's views, attitudes, and behavioral responses during a pandemic can provide valuable data for effective risk communication and promoting public health behavior changes (Vaughan & Tinker, 2009).…”