Predictors of COVID-19 Preventive Perceptions and Behaviors Among Millennials: Two Cross-sectional Survey Studies.

Christopher E Beaudoin,Traci Hong

doi:10.2196/30612

Abstract

BackgroundCOVID-19 preventive perceptions and behaviors, especially among US millennials, are an important means by which the pandemic can be slowed and negative health outcomes can be averted.ObjectiveThis manuscript aims to advance knowledge on COVID-19 preventive perceptions and behaviors and their main predictors, including digital health information–seeking behavior (HISB), political party identification, and COVID-19 testing status.MethodsTwo cross-sectional online surveys of US millennials were conducted from April 10 to 14, 2020 (N=274) (ie, Study 1), and from April 27 to May 7, 2020 (N=1037) (ie, Study 2). In the regression models, dependent variables included preventive behaviors (eg, wearing a face mask and social distancing) as well as four preventive perceptions: severity (ie, a person’s conception of the seriousness of COVID-19), susceptibility (ie, a person’s conception of the likelihood of being infected with COVID-19), self-efficacy (ie, a person’s perception that he or she can wear a face mask and perform social distancing to prevent COVID-19 infection), and response efficacy (ie, a person’s perception of whether wearing a face mask and social distancing can prevent COVID-19 infection). Key independent variables included digital HISB for self, digital HISB for another person, political party identification, and COVID-19 testing status.ResultsMillennials reported lower levels of perceived susceptibility than the other three preventive perceptions (ie, severity, self-efficacy, and response efficacy), as well as fairly high levels of preventive behaviors. Unlike HISB for another person, digital HISB for self was positively associated with preventive perceptions and behaviors. In Study 1, respondents with higher levels of digital HISB for self had significantly higher perceptions of severity (β=.22, P<.001), self-efficacy (β=.15, P=.02), and response efficacy (β=.25, P<.001) as well as, at nearing significance, higher perceptions of susceptibility (β=.11, P=.07). In Study 2, respondents with higher levels of digital HISB for self had significantly higher perceptions of severity (β=.25, P<.001), susceptibility (β=.14, P<.001), and preventive behaviors (β=.24, P<.001). Preventive behaviors did not vary significantly according to political party identification, but preventive perceptions did. In Study 1, respondents who identified as being more Republican had significantly lower perceptions of self-efficacy (β=−.14, P=.02) and response efficacy (β=−.13, P=.03) and, at nearing significance, lower perceptions of severity (β=−.10, P=.08) and susceptibility (β=−.12, P=.06). In Study 2, respondents who identified as being more Republican had significantly lower perceptions of severity (β=−.08, P=.009). There were mixed effects of COVID-19 testing status on preventive perceptions, with respondents who had tested positive for COVID-19 having significantly higher perceptions of susceptibility in Study 1 (β=.17, P=.006) and significantly lower perceptions of severity in Study 2 (β=−.012, P<.001).ConclusionsAs the largest and most digitally savvy generation, US millennials saw COVID-19 as a severe threat, but one that they were less susceptible to. For millennials, digital HISB for self, but not for another person, was critical to the development of preventive perceptions and behaviors.

Highlights

BackgroundCOVID-19 is a major global health threat, with 155 million global cases and 3.2 million related deaths as of May 6, 2021, including 32 million cases and 580,012 deaths in the United States [1]
In its declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020, the World Health Organization labeled the plethora of coronavirus information as an infodemic [3], which stresses the importance of health information
With implications for theory, policy, and practical intervention, this study focuses on COVID-19 preventive perceptions and behaviors of US millennials, who have been an especially important population for COVID-19 preventive efforts [4], given their high levels of social activity and tendency to have no or mild symptoms [5]

Summary

Introduction

BackgroundCOVID-19 is a major global health threat, with 155 million global cases and 3.2 million related deaths as of May 6, 2021, including 32 million cases and 580,012 deaths in the United States [1]. By May 7, there were 3.72 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 263,489 related deaths, including 1.23 million confirmed cases and 73,431 deaths in the United States Before and across these time frames, there were school and workplace closures and stay-at-home orders across the United States, as well as recommendations of preventive measures, such as social distancing and face-mask wearing. Without effective vaccines prior to 2021, a significant challenge for policy and practical intervention has been encouraging individuals to adopt preventive behaviors (eg, wearing face masks and social distancing) as a means of preventing the virus’ continued spread and the further escalation of negative outcomes. COVID-19 preventive perceptions and behaviors, especially among US millennials, are an important means by which the pandemic can be slowed and negative health outcomes can be averted

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