Perceived Risk Of COVID-19 Research Articles

Impact of COVID-19 Risk Perception on Emotional Exhaustion among Chinese Hospitality Employees: The Mediating Effect of Job Insecurity.

This study aims to investigate the levels of COVID-19 risk perception (CVRP), job insecurity (JI), and emotional exhaustion (EE) among Chinese hospitality employees to examine the mediating effect of JI on the relationship between CVRP and EE. The moderating role of employee mindfulness (MF) and perceived employability (PE) have also be examined. Data were collected from 652 hospitality employees in Shandong and Jiangsu Province, China. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesized relationship among the variables. Significant relationships were found between hospitality employees' CVRP and EE (β = 0.103, p < 0.01), CVRP and JI (β = 0.168, p < 0.001), and JI and EE (β = 0.378, p < 0.001). According to the results, the higher level of the CVRP of hospitality employees, the higher level of the EE. In addition, results showed mediating effects of JI on the relationship between CVRP and EE. This study also found that MF buffered the positive relationship between CVRP and EE. Therefore, in the era of COVID-19, an effective support system at the organizational level is necessary to reduce JI and EE of hospitality employees.

Conspiracy mentality and health-related behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multiwave survey in Italy

ObjectivesThis study aimed to (1) explore the changes in conspiracy mentality across the four waves of the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) assess the relationship between conspirative mentality and psychological/behavioural variables; (3) identify the predictors of conspirative mentality; and (4) explore the effect of conspirative mentality on COVID-19 protective behaviour. Study designThis was a multiwave survey. MethodsA total of 10,013 Italian individuals, aged 18–70 years, were assessed across the four waves (from January to May 2021) through online survey. We collected information about the sociodemographic characteristics of participants, personal experiences of COVID-19 infection, trust, COVID-19 protective behaviours, COVID-19 risk perception, arousal, auto-efficacy, resilience and well-being. Conspiracy mentality was assessed with the Conspiracy Mentality Questionnaire. The statistical analyses included exploratory factorial analyses, Pearson correlations and multiple linear regressions. ResultsThe conspiracy mentality score during the COVID-19 pandemic was medium–high (mean 59.0 on a 0–100 scale) and slightly increased from 58.2 to 59.9 across months, in parallel with a slight decrease in trust in health institutions and scientific informational sources. Individuals aged >35 years, poorly educated and particularly scared about their financial situation were at risk of showing higher levels of conspirative mentality. Higher levels of conspirative mentality were risk factors for low levels of COVID-19 protective behaviours. ConclusionsClear and effective communication may improve trust in health institutions and informational sources, decrease conspirative theories and increase compliance with protective behaviour.

Worldview Orientations and Personal and Social Risk Perceptions for COVID-19 in a U.S. Population-Based Sample.

Adoption of COVID-19 preventive behaviors involves considering personal risk and the risk to others. Consequently, many COVID-19 prevention measures are intended to protect both the individual engaging in the behavior and others in the population. Yet, the preponderance of research is focused on perceptions of an individual's personal risk, making risk perception for others a critical area for investigation. Two worldview orientations describing values regarding how society should be organized, hierarchy-beliefs prioritizing social hierarchy, and individualism-beliefs prioritizing personal autonomy, have been linked to a range of risk perceptions. This study objective is to examine the association of worldview orientations with COVID-19 risk perceptions for oneself and others in a United States context. Using a national sample of 410 U.S. adults, we examined the associations between worldview orientations and six facets of risk (absolute risk, risk certainty, comparative risk, risk severity, fear, feelings of risk) using demographics-adjusted multivariable regression models. We conducted separate analyses for each of the following referents: (1) personal risk, (2) risk for the average person within the United States, and (3) risk to people within specific social groups (e.g., family, co-workers). Results indicate that stronger hierarchical and individualistic orientations were associated with lower COVID-19 risk perceptions for all three referents. The results were particularly consistent for fear and feelings of risk. Individualism was related to higher risk perception certainty for personal risk and the risk to people within specific social groups. Hierarchy was related to lower perceived severity for all referents. Findings suggest that U.S. public health messaging sensitive to worldview orientations may be needed to optimize acceptance of recommendations for protective behaviors, including vaccination. The relationship of worldview orientations to health risk perceptions may help guide messaging for future infectious outbreaks where risk perceptions are t drivers of protective behavior.

Exposure to Misinformation, Risk Perception, and Confidence towards the Government as Factors Influencing Negative Attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccination in Malaysia.

This study explored exposure to misinformation, COVID-19 risk perception, and confidence towards the government as predictors of negative attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. A cross-sectional survey was carried out from 30 June to 30 August 2021 involving 775 respondents. The survey instrument for the questionnaire was an adaptation from various different studies consisting of five main variables: (1) misinformation about vaccination; (2) risk perception toward COVID-19; (3) attitudes toward the vaccination programme; (4) intention to get vaccinated; and (5) public confidence in the government in executing the vaccination programme. The results of this study indicate that higher exposure to misinformation led to higher levels of negative attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. When the perceived risk of COVID-19 infection was high, mistrust of vaccine benefits was low but there were also higher worries about the future effects of the vaccine. Confidence in the government was associated with lower negative attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. The results of this study may help develop an understanding of negative attitudes toward vaccinations in Malaysia and its contributing factors.

Farmers' cognition of the COVID-19 outbreak, risk perception and willingness of green production

Existing literature reports that COVID-19 outbreak may affect people's risk perceptions, with disturbances ranging from mild negative emotional reactions to overall mental health. At the same time, the pneumonia pandemic reveals all the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of our ecosystem and makes people reflect on traditional ecologically harmful production practices. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to review the existing scientific literature on these variables, through a survey and empirical analysis, in order to present and comment on the effects and mechanisms of influence between them. The results showed that: (1) Increasing farmers'cognition of COVID-19 outbreak could significantly enhance the green production willingness. Specifically, the probability of “Very willing”to participate in green production increased by 29.9% for each unit of increase in cognition. (2) Farmers'cognition of COVID-19 outbreak can significantly enhance the level of risk perception and thus enhance their green production willingness, that is, risk perception is an important transmission medium of this effect. (3)The analysis of inter-generational difference showed that the impact of cognition of COVID-19 outbreak on green production willingness was significant for both the new generation and the old generation. On the basis of this, some policy suggestions are put forward, such as strengthening the propaganda and education of natural ecological environment protection, establishing the propaganda mechanism of green agricultural products market in the later period of epidemic situation, raising farmers'risk perception level through multi-channels and so on.

Risk perception of COVID-19 among college students in China: Latent profile analysis.

The outbreak of the new coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) has had a significant impact on people's mental and physical health. Meanwhile, people's perceptions of risk may influence their emotional states and preventative behavior during an epidemic. Previous research have revealed the diversity and uniqueness of risk perception, and college students may have a different perspective on risk perception. The objective of this study was to describe the subtypes of risk perception for COVID-19 among college students in China, identify the subtypes' traits, and investigate their affecting variables. College students from 10 Chinese provinces participated in a cross-sectional study (n = 2,000) that from January 16 to 30, 2022. The latent profiles and influencing factors for risk perception were investigated using latent profile analysis, one-way analysis of variance, and multinomial logistical regression. The sample group of this survey was 1,946 students, and the response rate was 97.3%. The best model was suggested to consist of three profiles: "neutral risk perception" (20.3%), "perception seriously without susceptible" (52.8%), and "low risk perception" (26.9%). Risk perception of COVID-19 was positively associated with attention to negation information (r = 0.372, p < 0.01), anxiety (r = 0.232, p < 0.01), and depression (r = 0.241, p < 0.01), and negatively associated with perceived social support (r = -0.151, p < 0.01). Logistic-regressions analyses mainly revealed that the risk perception of three profiles related to having chronic diseases (OR = 2.704, p < 0.01), medical major (OR = 0.595, p < 0.01; OR = 0.614, p < 0.05), without having COVID-19 confirmed cases around (OR = 0.539, p < 0.01), attention to negative information (OR = 1.073, p < 0.001; OR = 1.092, p < 0.001), and perceived social support (OR = 0.0.975, p < 0.01). The level of risk perception for COVID-19 among Chinese college students was unsatisfactory, and the risk perception of COVID-19 had significant group characteristics and heterogeneity. Colleges and public health practitioners could have a theoretical and empirical basis to implement risk perception intervention efforts by identifying latent subgroups during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Demographic and COVID Experience Predictors of COVID-19 Risk Perception among Chinese Residents in Canada.

The current study aimed to identify demographic and COVID experience predictors for COVID-19 risk perception among Chinese residents in Canada. A final sample of 653 participants aged 18 and up completed an online survey in simplified Chinese during the peak of the first wave of COVID-19 (25 April-10 June 2020). After removing those with missing data on demographic covariates, as missing data cannot be imputed, 444 were included in the structural equation model, and COVID-19 risk perception was indexed by three outcome variables: self-infection risk perception (i.e., likelihood of personal infection of COVID-19); threat perception (i.e., whether the pandemic is a real threat); and future infection rate prediction (i.e., a latent variable for community, Ontario, Canada, and World infection rate predictions). Predictors included demographic (i.e., income, gender, education, age, household size, employment status, and life satisfaction) and COVID experience variables (i.e., personal connection with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, self-isolation experience, perceived anti-Chinese discrimination, and confusion over COVID-19 information). In the structural equation model, we found increased risk perception for the following demographic and COVID experience predictors; women, relatively higher education, living alone, working in a medical field, lower in life satisfaction, having personal connection with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, with perceived anti-Chinese discrimination, or showing high confusion over COVID-19 information.

"I don't mean to be rude, but could you put a mask on while I'm here?" A qualitative study of risks experienced by domiciliary care workers in Wales during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Domiciliary care workers (DCWs) continued to provide care to adults in their own homes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The evidence of the impact of COVID-19 on health outcomes of DCWs is currently mixed. The OSCAR study will quantify the impact of COVID-19 upon health outcomes of DCWs in Wales, explore causes of variation and extrapolate to the rest of the UK DCW population. An embedded qualitative study aimed to explore DCW experiences during the pandemic, including factors that may have varied risk of exposure to COVID-19 and adverse health and wellbeing outcomes. Registered DCWs working throughout Wales were invited to participate in a semi-structured telephone interview. 24 DCWs were interviewed between February and July 2021. Themes were identified through inductive analysis using thematic coding. Several themes emerged relating to risk of exposure to COVID-19. First, general changes to the role of the DCW during the pandemic were identified. Second, practical challenges for DCWs in the workplace were reported, including staff shortages, clients and families not following safety procedures, initial shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), DCW criticism of standard use PPE, client difficulty with PPE and management of rapid antigen testing. Third, lack of government/employer preparation for a pandemic was described, including the reorganisation of staff clients and services, inadequate or confusing information for many DCWs, COVID-19 training and the need for improved practical instruction and limited official standard risk assessments for DCWs. Pressure to attend work and perceptions of COVID-19 risk and vaccination was also reported. In summary, this paper describes the risk factors associated with working during the pandemic. We have mapped recommendations for each problem using these qualitative findings including tailored training and better support for isolated team members and identified the required changes at several socio-ecological levels.

Health Communications Trial with a Resistant Population to Increase Public Health Compliance during a Pandemic

Background: Georgia has among the worst rates of COVID-19 hospitalization and death rates in the nation. Many identifying as politically conservative resist public health mitigation measures, similar to populations in other politically conservative geographical areas. There are limited peer-reviewed public health communications designed for this population. We aimed to determine if an intervention using a fear appeal approach with efficacy during a pandemic can positively affect knowledge, attitude, perception, and/or behavior (KAP) in Georgia with this population. Methods: We delivered online video stimuli tailored to the geocultural characteristics of the target population. designed to stimulate fear, encourage efficacy, and counter mis- and disinformation. It used three routes to affect participants: narrative, direct messaging, and non-message cues. We measured risk aversion and conspiratorial ideation as moderating psychological factors using psychological batteries. Census and voting data were used to identify a convenience sample of 829 Georgia adults in an outer Atlanta suburb. Results: Exposure to the video, moderated by risk aversion, resulted in increased recommended mitigating behavior to prevent COVID-19 (13.7%, 95% CI: 2.7% to 24.7%,) and increased positive attitude toward the recommendations (7.7%, 95% CI: 5.9% to 9.3%). Exposure to the video, moderated by conspiratorial ideation, resulted in an increase in perception of COVID-19 risk (7.6% 95% CI: 1.8% to 13.5%) among participants. Conclusions: An intervention using a fear appeal approach with efficacy during a pandemic can positively affect attitude and risk perception of a politically conservative population. Scaling similar interventions with resistant geocultural populations has promise of increasing adherence to public health recommendations. The moderating factor of conspiratorial ideation is relevant given conspiracies during pandemics, such as COVID-19. This multidisciplinary study contributes to the extant literature by providing insights of populations influenced by contrary political attitudes.

Perceived risk of COVID-19 diagnosis and stigma among Nigerians

The World Health Organization (WHO) classified Nigeria as one of the 13 African countries with a higher risk of spreading COVID-19. Although the Nigerian government and its health agencies set directives in place to help curb the spread of COVID-19, there are instances of unconcerned attitudes and adherence to false and superstitious beliefs surrounding COVID-19 among Nigerians. The current study examined the general perception of COVID-19 risk among Nigerians. Additionally, it examined the fear of possible stigmatization if an individual is diagnosed with COVID-19. A cross-section of 332 Nigerian men and women responded to measures on perceived vulnerability to diseases, perception of risk of being infected with COVID-19, COVID-19 stigma, and social and demographic characteristics. The findings show that respondents with a higher perception of vulnerability to diseases reported higher COVID-19 risk and perception of COVID-19-related stigma. Further, we found that gender, age, and education impacted COVID-19 risk and perception of COVID-19-related stigma. Our findings suggest that risk perceptions and attitudes towards COVID-19 can impact the level of preparedness against a pandemic. Also, the findings could inform strategies for the proper implementation of health protective measures at national, state, and local government levels during a viral outbreak.

Health Literacy, Covid-19 and risk perception: a cross-sectional survey in Prato in the 2nd wave

Abstract During the Covid-19 pandemic, individual and collective public health measures were undertaken to control the spread of the virus. Their effectiveness relies on people’s abilities to understand and adopt the correct behaviors. This study aims to evaluate the role of Health Literacy (HL) in influencing the adherence to Covid-19 preventive measures and risk perception of a sample of workers employed in various activities involving close contact with the population in the province of Prato (Tuscany, Italy) in the second pandemic wave (November-December 2020). A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a sample of public workers (e.g., teachers, educators, assistants/aides, other health personnel). Data on knowledge, attitudes and practices towards (KAP) Covid-19 preventive measures and risk perception were collected. HL was measured with the HLS-EU-Q6 tool. Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between HL and KAP and Covid-19 risk perception. Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the role of HL in predicting KAP and Covid-19 risk perception, adjusted for sex, age, comorbidity, educational level, country of birth. A total of 402 people participated in this study; 47.8% had a problematic HL level. The HL level was correlated with KAP and practices towards Covid-19 prevention measures; no significant associations were found with Covid-19 risk perception. In multivariate models, HL significantly and positively predicted a higher level of knowledge of Covid-19 preventive measures (B = 0.413 for problematic HL; B = 0.542 for sufficient HL). Confirming a previous study conducted in Prato in the first pandemic wave, HL did not predict adherence to Covid-19 infection control measures, probably due to fear of the disease and attention towards prevention behaviors being still higher in the second pandemic wave. Key messages • HL skills are linked to understanding of public health measures. • HL skills should be improved to favor the adherence to correct behaviors.

Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Risk Perceptions and Motivations for COVID-19 Preventive Measures Based on EPPM-A Polish Qualitative Pilot Study.

COVID-19 has been a “major interrupting event” during which individuals largely relied on intuitive risk perceptions as precursors of COVID-19 health behaviors. Given the strong correlation between risk perceptions and the adoption of preventive measures, this pilot study attempts to explore how Polish society perceives COVID-19 health risks from the point of view of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. The Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) constitutes the basis for this research. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted, one with participants who had received COVID-19 vaccinations and the other with participants who had not. Conventional and directed content analyses were used to examine the data from the FGDs. Five categories emerged from the data: COVID-19 risk perceptions, coping with the pandemic, sources of knowledge, distrust, and pandemic fatigue. All categories fit into the theoretical constructs of the EPPM. Both groups have a high-perceived vulnerability to COVID-19 infection and recognize its seriousness. Individuals also have a high perceived response self-efficacy, given their awareness of COVID-19 preventive measures and how these should be applied. Nonetheless, particularly the unvaccinated, are skeptical about the effectiveness of the implemented measures, showing low perceived response efficacy. Future communication strategies should target the effectiveness of COVID-19 preventive measures, and one’s perceived response efficacy, to improve adherence to public health measures.

Associations between COVID-19 risk perceptions and mental health, wellbeing, and risk behaviours

Mental health has worsened, and substance use has increased for some people during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Some cross-sectional studies suggest that higher COVID-19 risk perceptions are related to poorer mental health and greater risk behaviours (e.g. substance use). However, longitudinal and genetic data are needed to help to reduce the likelihood of reverse causality. We used cross-sectional, longitudinal, and polygenic risk score (PRS; for anxiety, depression, wellbeing) data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We examined cross-sectional and prospective longitudinal associations between COVID-19 risk perceptions (i.e. cognitive, affective, self, other, and a combined ‘holistic’ measure) and mental health (i.e. anxiety, depression), wellbeing, and risk behaviours. Pandemic (April–July 2020) and pre-pandemic (2003–2017) data (ns = 233–5,115) were included. Higher COVID-19 risk perceptions (holistic) were associated with anxiety (OR 2.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.20 to 3.52), depression (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.18), low wellbeing (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.45 to 2.13), and increased alcohol use (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.24 to 1.72). Higher COVID-19 risk perceptions were also associated with self-isolating given a suspected COVID-19 infection (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.68), and less face-to-face contact (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.98) and physical contact (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.00). Pre-pandemic anxiety (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.09) and low wellbeing (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.74) were associated with higher COVID-19 risk perceptions. The depression PRS (b 0.21, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.40) and wellbeing PRS (b − 0.29, 95% CI −0.48 to −0.09) were associated with higher and lower COVID-19 risk perceptions, respectively. Poorer mental health and wellbeing are associated with higher COVID-19 risk perceptions, and longitudinal and genetic data suggest that they may play a causal role in COVID-19 risk perceptions.

Authenticity Mediates the Relationship between Risk Perception of COVID-19 and Subjective Well-Being: A Daily Diary Study

The present research investigated whether risk perception of COVID-19 relates to subjective well-being and the mediating role of authenticity in this association. We conducted a 12-day daily diary study with 133 undergraduates (Mage = 19.9 years, SD = 1.27 years; 64 females). Participants self-reported risk perception of COVID-19, authenticity, and subjective well-being every day. Results revealed that (1) risk perception of COVID-19 was negatively related to subjective well-being at the interindividual level; (2) authenticity mediated the relationship between risk perception of COVID-19 and subjective well-being at the interindividual level but not at the intraindividual level. In general, findings suggested that risk perception of COVID-19 is negatively related to subjective well-being only at the interindividual level, and authenticity plays a mediating role in this relationship. The finding suggested that keeping authenticity is a good strategy for avoiding the disruption caused by COVID-19. Longitudinal studies on samples with a broader age range, larger sample size, and extended sociodemographic background, as well as experimental studies, should be conducted to explore the causal relationship among interested variables that the current research has not detected.

The relationship between individuals' use of complementary and alternative medicine during the pandemic in Turkey and their attitudes towards perceived COVID-19 risk.

IntroductionThe perceived COVID-19 risk may lead to the use of various complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities to reduce the potential risks of this disease. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between individuals' use of complementary and alternative medicine during the pandemic in Turkey and their attitudes towards perceived COVID-19 risk.MethodsThe study was conducted in Turkey between November 2021 and March 2022 and 1003 individuals voluntarily participated. The Personal Information Form, Attitude Towards Holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Scale (HCAMS), and Perceived COVID-19 Risk Scale (PCRS) were used for data collection. To evaluate the data descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and Cronbach's alpha reliability analysis were used.ResultsIn the study, 54.2% of the individuals were found to use CAM during the pandemic, and 56.2% believed that CAM practices were useful in preventing or recovering from COVID-19. It was revealed that 53.8% of the individuals drank herbal tea, 55.2% used religious and spiritual healing to manage, 6.6% used massage, and 10.1% applied aromatherapy. The mean total score of the HCAMS was 28.29 ± 4.99, and the mean total score of the perceived COVID-19 risk scale was 27.78 ± 6.35. A statistically significant positive correlation was identified between the CAM subscale and the emotional risk subscale (p < 0.05).ConclusionIndividuals had a positive attitude towards using CAM during the pandemic period, the risk perception of COVID-19 was high and CAM methods were widely used.The literature should be supported by increasing the current and scientific studies in which CAM methods are questioned and their benefits are investigated during epidemic periods.

Trust in scientists, risk perception, conspiratorial beliefs, and unrealistic optimism: A network approach to investigating the psychological underpinnings of COVID-19 vaccination intentions

Using a network approach, we addressed in two studies interrelations among potential antecedents of vaccine intentions, related to both COVID-19 risk perception and epistemic beliefs (i.e., trust in scientists and conspiracy beliefs). In Study 1 and 2, we assessed a US (N = 994) and an international sample (N = 902) during spring and summer 2020. The network analysis reveals a complex interplay of factors where trust in scientists, the closest predictor of vaccine intention, is associated with conspiracy beliefs and danger perception. Furthermore, we found evidence for unrealistic optimism, with participants perceiving the risk of getting infected with COVID-19 as lower compared to the risk they attributed to other people. However, this bias was not associated with vaccine intention. Study 2 corroborated these results. The results call for a global change in the narrative which should highlight the epistemic authority of science in order to build a stronger trust in the scientific community. However, tackling trust in scientists needs a wider field of persuasion that includes conspiracy beliefs and risk perception factors.

Would You Accept Virtual Tourism? The Impact of COVID-19 Risk Perception on Technology Acceptance from a Comparative Perspective

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism industry and its stakeholders have tried to develop a new virtual tourism market, but its effectiveness remains to be tested. We proposed and tested a new measurement scale composed of ease of use, usefulness, autonomy, enjoyment, perceived risk of COVID-19, and attitude. In total, 274 questionnaires were collected by the purposive sampling method and 239 of them were valid, with 57 potential virtual tourists (who knew of but had not used VR in tourism) and 182 actual virtual tourists (who had experienced virtual tourism). Then, we used path analysis to test the hypothetical model and compared the results of two groups. The results show that (1) the popularity of virtual tourism is limited, (2) ease of use significantly affects usefulness and enjoyment for the two groups, (3) usefulness significantly affects autonomy and enjoyment for the two groups, (4) perceived risk of COVID-19 has a direct impact on the attitude towards virtual tourism for the two groups rather than a moderating role, and (5) expected ease of use has a significant effect on autonomy, and autonomy further influences enjoyment for potential tourists. This paper is an explorative attempt to explore virtual technology applied in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results provide theoretical contributions and practical implications for technology improvement, tourism marketing, and virtual tourism development.

Role of COVID-19 Risk Perception and Organizational Safety Climate in Preventing COVID-19 Among Taiwanese University Students.

Role of COVID-19 Risk Perception and Organizational Safety Climate in Preventing COVID-19 Among Taiwanese University Students.

Factors affecting worriedness: A study of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan

The global effect of COVID-19 is no longer simply a public health issue; it is causing an economic crisis that has a significant impact on the job market and people's lives. The disease has led to 43% of businesses temporarily closing, and almost all these closures are due to COVID-19. Organizations that have temporarily suspended their activities have pointed mainly to a decline in demand and employee health issues as the reasons for closure. In emergency and disaster management, perception often helps shape personality and how people act in certain situations. This study aims to examine personal risk perception of COVID-19 from many viewpoints and whether it affects motivation with regard to improving personal preparedness. We collected data from three major Japanese cities through a questionnaire survey and analyzed the results of the survey through factor analysis and multiple regression analysis by using the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The three study areas include (1) the most damaged regions from the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami, (2) the capital city and surrounding areas of Tokyo, and (3) Kumamoto, which has recently experienced an earthquake. The findings show a correlation between the nature of the information received during COVID-19 and worriedness and the necessity for adequate information. The expected benefit of this study is to provide guidelines for the government or organizations to make a suitable emergency management plan based on pertinent factors for future pandemics.

Effect of COVID-19 Risk Perception on Cosmeceutical Purchase Intention and Behavior

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate how the perception of risk of COVID-19 affects consumers' intentions or behaviors to purchase cosmeceuticals.Methods: Adults in their 20s or older living in the Seoul metropolitan area were sampled. The survey was conducted for two weeks from the third week to the fourth week of February 2022, and only 230 valid data were used for the final analysis, excluding insincere responses.Results: Perception of social/environmental, economic, and psychological risk for COVID-19 was found to have a negative (-) effect on purchase intention, and cosmeceutical cosmetics purchase intention had a significant positive (+) effect on purchase behavior. Also, among the perceptions of risk of COVID-19, social/environmental risk, economic risk, physical risk, and psychological risk perception were found to have a significant negative (-) effect on purchasing behavior. The mediating effect of purchase intention was confirmed in the relationship between risk perception of COVID-19 and cosmeceutical purchasing behavior.Conclusion: As a result of the study, it was found that the perceived risk of COVID-19 by adults in their 20s and older decreased their purchase intention or behavior for cosmeceutical cosmetics. The results of this study will be meaningful as it empirically examined how the risk perception of COVID-19 affects purchase intentions and behaviors for cosmeceuticals and will have great implications for the cosmeceutical industry preparing for the post-corona era.