Perceived Risk Of COVID-19 Research Articles

Understanding the Impact of General Vaccine Attitudes on the Intent for Early COVID-19 Vaccination.

Despite relatively high rates of population spread, morbidity and mortality, the adoption of COVID-19 vaccines among the eligible populations was relatively slow. Some of the reasons for vaccination hesitancy and refusals have been attributed to unique aspects of this pandemic, including attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines. However, little attention has been paid to the role of underlying vaccine beliefs in the likelihood of early vaccine adoption for COVID-19. This study provides a more comprehensive assessment of factors influencing willingness to get an early vaccination, and the relative contribution of general vaccine attitudes, compared to demographics, perceived threat and institutional trust. Monthly national surveys were conducted between June and November 2020 using a national consumer panel of U.S. adults (n = 6185). By late November, only 24% of respondents said they were very likely to get a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it became available. While COVID-19 risk perceptions, confidence and trust in key institutions and information sources, and some demographic variables, were predictive of early vaccination intent, general beliefs regarding vaccines played a significant role, even compared to demographics, perceived risk and institutional trust. This lesson from the COVID-19 experience could help inform public health communications in future epidemics.

A longitudinal study on college students’ depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic: The trajectories, antecedents, and outcomes

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is not only an immediate hazard but also a long-term risk to the development of depressive symptoms. However, it remains unclear how people's depressive symptoms change with the process of COVID-19. Further, there is also a paucity of research on the underlying antecedents and outcomes of depressive symptoms during this global health crisis. In this study, a longitudinal study was conducted in China and the data of 559 participants were collected from the outbreak period to the normalization period of the pandemic through self-report questionnaires. Depressive symptoms were longitudinally analyzed using Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Core variables involving society, family, individual cognition, and behaviors were studied as determinants or consequences. Latent growth curve model analyses indicated that college students had mild depressive symptoms at the initial stage of COVID-19 with a subsequent decreasing linear slope. Depressive symptoms were significantly predicted by college students’ risk perception of COVID-19, social support, family functioning, and smartphone addiction tendency. Further, their depressive symptoms predicted the changes in smartphone addiction tendency and levels of hope. In conclusion, current findings can provide implications for future prevention and intervention of mental disorders to assist college students through such challenging times.

Understanding Perceived Risks and Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents and Young Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

PurposeWe sought to describe the relationship between COVID-19 risk perception and sexual behaviors among urban adolescents and young adults (AYA). MethodsData were collected from 159 urban AYAs on COVID-19 risk perception, COVID-19 infections and deaths, romantic relationships, and sexual behavior during the stay-at-home order using a telephone survey. ResultsSeventy-nine percent of the study participants engaged in sexual intercourse during the stay-at-home order. Only 38% of these used condoms during their last sexual encounter. Experiencing COVID-19 positivity within their social circle was not related to COVID-19 testing. Concern for COVID-19 infection or experiencing a COVID-19 diagnosis or death in one's social circles was not associated with sexual intercourse or condom use. DiscussionUrban AYA remained at risk for sexually transmitted infections, and COVID-19, given high baseline community rates of sexually transmitted infections and COVID-19, low condom use, and low COVID-19 risk perception at the time of the survey.

How Does the Risk Perception of COVID-19 Affect Bus Travel Intentions of the Elderly?

How Does the Risk Perception of COVID-19 Affect Bus Travel Intentions of the Elderly?

Be prepared! Local politicians’ proclivity for local government adaptive capacity building in response to COVID-19: the role of risk perceptions

ABSTRACT Although it is argued that organizational leaders’ perceptions of external shocks determine organizations’ willingness to prepare for future shocks, insights on the sensemaking processes leading local politicians to invest in adaptive capacity building after a crisis are scarce. Therefore, this study examines how politicians’ COVID-19 risk perceptions relate to their proclivity to invest in organizational adaptive capacity building. Results, based on data from 710 local Flemish politicians, confirm that perceived severity of COVID-19 relates to politicians’ willingness to invest in adaptive capacity building, while sociodemographic and event-related variables as well as socio-political attitudes are relevant predictors of politicians’ risk perceptions.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Tourists’ Risk Perceptions: Tourism Policies’ Mediating Role in Sustainable and Resilient Recovery in the New Normal

The COVID-19 health crisis has had unprecedented impacts on the global tourism industry, creating a sense of insecurity among tourists about destinations. Thus, rebuilding tourists’ confidence in the tourism industry is the biggest challenge faced by policymakers in the new normal. The tourism industry needs innovative solutions for sustainable recovery, but limited literature is available on the tourism policies necessary for sustainable and resilient recovery in the new normal. This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 and risk perception on the recovery of tourism. Moreover, this study also explored the mediating role of attitudes toward tourism policies between COVID-19, risk perceptions, and tourism recovery. Data collected from 1437 tourists through an online survey were analyzed using PLS-SEM and descriptive statistics. The results showed that a large majority of the tourists still felt unsafe and insecure about tourism destinations. COVID-19 risk perceptions were found to be negatively associated with tourism recovery in the new normal. Risk perceptions had a significant positive impact on transportation selection behavior (β = 0.725, p < 0.01), as did avoiding overcrowded places (β = 0.692, p < 0.01). Transportation selection behaviors also had a statistically significant negative impact on the recovery of tourism (β = −0.220, p < 0.01). The findings showed that attitudes toward tourism policies mediated the effect between COVID-19 and tourism intentions. This study has important policy implications for the sustainable recovery of the tourism industry and for making it resilient against future crises.

Anxiety, COVID-19 risk, and LGBTQ+ youth’s participation in an affirming summer camp

Rising levels of generalized anxiety among LGBTQ+ youth during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic suggest a need for understanding effective interventions for reducing anxiety, as well as factors influencing youth’s risk perceptions and trust pertaining to mental health-focused programming. The current survey-based study captures generalized anxiety, COVID-19 risk perceptions, and trust in a camp organization among 181 youth ages 12 to 18 who participated in an overnight camp for young LGBTQ+ people. Results show that youths’ perceived risk pertaining to COVID-19 at camp was negatively associated with trust in the camp organization and positively associated with generalized anxiety. Participants’ anxiety decreased during camp, and changes in anxiety were influenced by trust in the camp. Findings suggest the importance of trust in engaging LGBTQ+ youth with supportive group programming in the pandemic context, but they also indicate the potential limits of trust in fostering anxiety reduction over time.

Predicting Compliance with Sanitary Behaviors among Students in Higher Education During the Second COVID-19 Wave: The Role of Health Anxiety and Risk Perception.

To limit the spread of COVID-19, public authorities have recommended sanitary behaviors such as handwashing, mask-wearing, physical distancing, and social distancing. We recruited a large sample of higher education students in Belgium (N = 3201-3441) to investigate the role of sociodemographic variables, mental health, previous COVID-19 infections, academic involvement, and risk perception on adherence to these sanitary behaviors. This cross-sectional study took place during the second COVID-19 wave in Belgium, between February and March 2021. Analyses showed that living alone, being female, later in the academic curriculum, having higher general and health anxiety, higher academic involvement, and higher risk perception were positively associated with adherence to the four aforementioned sanitary behaviors. Conversely, previous infection with COVID-19 and having been quarantined were negative predictors. Our results show a set of predictors highly similar for the four sanitary behaviors. We discuss potential initiatives to increase adherence to sanitary behaviors in this group of highly educated youngsters.

The effect of COVID-19 risk perception on pro-environmental behavior of Chinese consumers: Perspectives from affective event theory.

COVID-19 has altered human cognition and changed the cultural values of society. However, there has not been much debate among scholars about whether these above changes have led to an increase in pro-environmental behavior (PEB) of Chinese consumers. A comprehensive model was developed based on affective event theory. An online questionnaire was distributed, and 501 usable questionnaires were collected. In addition, two complementary approaches were employed: partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and necessary condition analysis (NCA). The PLS-SEM results showed that COVID-19 risk perception, nostalgia, the awe of nature, and attitude were found to have a positive effect on PEB; and the moderating effect of power distance belief (PD) between nostalgia (NO), attitude (AT) and PEB was confirmed. According to the NCA results, AT and NO are necessary conditions for the PEB of consumers. This study provides deeper insight into the understanding of consumers' pro-environmental behavior in the context of COVID-19 through the combined use of PLS-SEM and NCA.

Risk Perceptions, Health Attitudes, and Individual Differences During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Throughout the last several years, there have been varying responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study (N = 211) explored individual differences (i.e., health anxiety, education, and age) as correlates of COVID-19 risk perceptions, the relationship of these risk perceptions with attitudes toward cautionary behaviors, such as masking and vaccination, and examined how political beliefs—specifically liberalism—influenced those relationships to better understand the varying responses to the pandemic and how certain demographic groups differ in their COVID-19 risk perceptions. COVID-19 risk perception had significant positive correlations with health anxiety (r = .37, p < .001), education (r = .21, p = .003), attitude toward masking (r = .40, p < .001), attitude toward the COVID-19 vaccination (r = .27, p < .001), and liberalism (r = .36, p < .001), but not age. Liberalism moderated the relationship between COVID-19 risk perceptions and attitude toward masking (p = .02, f2 = .02) and the relationship between COVID-19 risk perceptions and attitude toward vaccination (p = .02, f2 = .02). Lastly, regarding demographic group differences, we found that COVID-19 risk perceptions differed by age (p = .04, d = 0.24) and gender (p < .001, d = 0.50), but not by education. Results support previous research and provide new insights regarding perceived COVID-19 risk and attitudes toward cautionary behaviors, stressing the impact of individual differences on responses to public health emergencies such as COVID-19. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

E-Wallet Usage Intention in Selangor, Malaysia

According to a report by Fintech News Malaysia, there are more than 53 e-wallets in Malaysia, with the industry occupying 19% of Malaysian Fintech space. Furthermore, in Malaysia, e-wallets such as GrabPay, Boost, Ipsos, and Touch’n Go remain some of the preferred e-wallet applications as the cashless and contactless benefits of e-wallets were beneficial during the COVID-19 pandemic. As there was a surge in the usage of e-wallets, especially in Selangor, Malaysia. Thus, it is important to examine the influence of variables such as perceived COVID-19 risk, perceived usefulness, government support, and perceived ease of use with the intention to use e-wallets in Selangor, Malaysia. As there are still lack of studies, especially in the Malaysian context, the aim of the research was to study the possible influence that these variables may have on the intention to use e-wallets in Selangor, Malaysia. Subsequently, this would impact policymakers toward the enhancement of e-wallet applications in Malaysia. The study used a deductive approach with questionnaires distributed online to 200 consumers in Selangor. SPSS was used to conduct the data analysis. The results of the study showed that all the variables of the study (perceived COVID-19 risk, perceived usefulness, government support and perceive ease of use) had significant positive relationships with intention to use e-wallets in Selangor, Malaysia. The findings of this research revealed that consumers place importance on government support especially during a time of crisis and consumers desire e-wallet applications to be user-friendly and useful, which is the scientific novelty of this study. Implications of the research findings are presented as well. Keywords: intention to use e-wallet, perceived COVID-19 risk, perceived usefulness, government support, perceived ease of use. https://doi.org/10.55463/issn.1674-2974.50.4.2

Prediction model of intention to use digital fitness services for health promotion during the COVID-19 pandemic: a gender-based multi-group analysis

As the number of people infected with COVID-19 in Korea is increasing, several measures have been implemented to gradually restrict outdoor activities and indoor gatherings while promoting a non-face-to-face social culture. In this study, we performed a gender-based multi-group analysis using a technology acceptance model (TAM) as an external variable for COVID-19 risk perception to verify the model’s predictive ability to increase participation behavior toward digital fitness services. We analyzed the data of 433 Koreans using an online survey consisting of 23 items. A structural equation model was used to verify the perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), intention to use and exercise participation behavior of the TAM with COVID-19 risk perception as an external variable. First, our results showed that COVID-19 risk perception had a statistically higher significant and positive effect on PEOU (β = 0.170, t = 3.296, p < 0.001) than on PU (β = 0.130, t = 2.848, p = 0.004) of digital fitness services. Second, the PEOU of the digital fitness service was found to have a statistically higher significant positive effect on PU (β = 0.512, t = 9.728, p < 0.001) than on intention to use (β = 0.130, t = −2.774, p = 0.006). Third, the PU of digital fitness services was found to have a statistically significant positive effect on the intention to use (β = 0.684, t = 12.909, p < 0.001). Fourth, the intention to use the digital fitness service was found to have a statistically significant positive effect on exercise participation behavior (β = 0.796, t = 16.248, p < 0.001). Lastly, we observed a significant difference between men and women in COVID-19 risk perception and PEOU among the six paths established. Digital environments that encourage participation in exercises could promote health during a pandemic. This study highlighted the need to consider digital environments that encourage exercise participation in creating physical exercise contents as there was no significant difference in the intention to use digital fitness services between men and women.

The role of innovation capability in mediation of COVID-19 risk perception and entrepreneurship orientation to business performance

The purpose of this study is to explain how innovation capability influences business performance by mediating the effect of Covid-19 risk perception and entrepreneurial orientation. This study's population consists of MSMEs in Bali's tourism and creative industries. Purposive sampling was utilized to choose 90 managers of MSMEs in the tourist and creative economy sectors. Path Analysis with SEM-PLS was employed as the analytical approach. The findings revealed that the COVID-19 Risk Perception had a negative and significant impact on business performance, but the Entrepreneurship Orientation had a positive and significant impact. Furthermore, COVID-19 Risk Perception had a negative and significant impact on Innovation Capability; while the Entrepreneurship Orientation had a positive and significant effect on Innovation Capability; and Innovation Capability had a positive and significant impact on business performance. In addition, Innovation Capability was able to mediate the influence of COVID-19 Risk Perception and Entrepreneurship Orientation on business performance. Therefore, it is important for MSMEs in the tourism and creative economy sectors in Bali to improve their Entrepreneurship Orientation so that they are able to build higher innovation capabilities in order to improve business performance in facing the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health-promoting lifestyle behaviors

Objective: To explore health-improving behaviors during COVID-19 pandemic and to reveal the impact of the risk perception of COVID-19 on these behaviors. Methods: We recruited a total of 510 participants for this cross-sectional study. The data were collected online using a questionnaire booklet covering a form inquiring about the participants’ demographic, physical, and mental characteristics, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale, and the COVID-19 Perceived Risk Scale. Results: The mean age of the participants was (28.7±10.1) years, and 76.1% were females. Of the participants, 31.8% were overweight and obese. While 35.1% experienced negative alterations in their dietary patterns, 23.9% reported positive changes to their diet during the pandemic. Besides, 47.8% reported their sleep to be negatively affected during the pandemic. While the rate of those with extended screen time was 72.5%, it was 44.3% for the participants engaging in regular exercise. More than one-third of the participants (35.9%) had high and severe anxiety. We also found increased risk perception of COVID-19 among females, obese, those with disturbed eating and sleep quality, healthcare workers, and those with severe anxiety. Conclusions: Overall, the pandemic has appeared to have brought both positive and negative impacts on maintaining and improving eating, sleep, physical activity, and mental health.

Parents' perception of COVID-19 risk of infection and intention to vaccinate their children

BackgroundParent's perception of the COVID-19 vaccines is very important to protect themselves and their children and achieve maximum effect of vaccination programs. ObjectiveEvaluate the perception and attitude of parents towards COVID-19 risk of infection and intentions to vaccinate their children. MethodCross-sectional study including 1032 participants who have children aged from 5 to 18 years using a structured questionnaire. ResultsOverall, 65.0% of participants or their family members suffered from comorbidities that poses them at risk for COVID-19 infection such as hypertension (25.1%) and diabetes mellitus (16.1%). The prevalence of tobacco smoking in the studied families was 36.9%. Among participants, 40.6% had a family member with history of confirmed COVID-19 infection. Nearly one-half of studied parents (48.2%) reported COVID-19 as a serious infection and the majority were worried about getting a family member infected (86.8%). Among participants 62.0% of male parents and 57.8% of female parents agreed that vaccine information is reliable. Participants reporting safety of COVID-19 vaccination represented 45.3%. If vaccine is available, 40.1% of parents intended to vaccinate their children. The main factors associated with the willingness to vaccinate children were vaccine is not suitable for children under 18 years (OR = 11.508), concern about vaccination safety (OR = 8.678), doubts about reliability of vaccine information (OR = 7.811) and ability of vaccine to prevent infection (OR = 5.766). ConclusionOur study provides a brief insight about how parents think about COVID-19 vaccines and acceptance to vaccinate their children.

Investigation of perceived COVID-19 risk, stress levels, and care behaviours of nurses’ working in surgical clinics during the pandemic period

Investigation of perceived COVID-19 risk, stress levels, and care behaviours of nurses’ working in surgical clinics during the pandemic period

엑스포 2030을 위한 지속가능한 관광개발 전략 - 월드 엑스포 2020 두바이 사례연구

Hosting mega-events such as Expos, the Olympics, and the World Cup has become a means to achieve destination development and attract tourists to a host city. However, in a global event like the World Expo 2020 Dubai, where the opening event was postponed once due to an unprecedented epidemic worldwide, the brand image of the host city and risk perception of infectious diseases may affect visitors’ travel intentions to a host city and its neighboring cities. This study aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19 risk perception and protection motivation among the participants of the World Expo 2020 Dubai on travel intentions to city attractions and other cities in the U.A.E. The online and on-site survey was conducted from 1 to 31 Mar 2022. As a result of Jamovi and Smart PLS analyses, the protection motivation of visitors to the Expo 2020 mediated the relationship between COVID-19 risk perception and travel intention, indicating that, despite the high COVID-19 risk perception of visitors, travel intentions to Dubai attractions as well as neighboring cities was positively significant. The results also suggest the Expo organizers promote host city awareness and a favorable tourist destination brand image. This research study will provide insights for Busan tourism stakeholders regarding sustainable development plans and destination brand image reflecting the case study of the World Expo 2020 Dubai. In parallel, this research will highlight the catalytic effects of Expo 2020 on the brand positioning and future of the U.A.E as a sustainable tourism destination. This study suggests future directions and implications of sustainable development strategies for Busan as a candidature to organize the World Expo 2030 based on the World Expo 2020 Dubai.

Risk perception and intent to take precautionary actions against COVID-19 among adult population during pandemic in Nepal

This cross-sectional study sought whether there was an association between COVID-19 risk perception and the intention to take precautionary health measures among Nepalese adults aged 20 to 60 years. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select study participants in this study. With the help of Kobo Toolbox application programs, field enumerators interviewed 1072 adults from 14 districts of Nepal in March and April of 2021. In the study, the average age of participants was 35.11 years. Over half (52%) of them were women, and 44% were the Brahmins and Chhetri caste. Apart from perceived susceptibility, the study showed that the largest group (41%) of respondents had the lowest level of perceived susceptibility. Only a few (14.8%) of respondents expressed a strong intention to take safe measures (M=1.14 ±0.35). The study results indicated that four constructs of the health belief model such as perceived severity, barriers, benefits, and self-efficacy were positively correlated (>0.05) with taking protective health measures. In contrast, perceived susceptibility was not associated (0.53) with the intention to take protective health measures. Overall, Nepalese people are reluctant to act against COVID-19 because of their low-risk perception, which makes it necessary to raise public awareness regarding COVID-19.

Cluster analysis of adults unvaccinated for COVID-19 based on behavioral and social factors, National Immunization Survey-Adult COVID Module, United States

By the end of 2021, approximately 15% of U.S. adults remained unvaccinated against COVID-19, and vaccination initiation rates had stagnated. We used unsupervised machine learning (K-means clustering) to identify clusters of unvaccinated respondents based on Behavioral and Social Drivers (BeSD) of COVID-19 vaccination and compared these clusters to vaccinated participants to better understand social/behavioral factors of non-vaccination. The National Immunization Survey Adult COVID Module collects data on U.S. adults from September 26–December 31,2021 (n = 187,756). Among all participants, 51.6% were male, with a mean age of 61 years, and the majority were non-Hispanic White (62.2%), followed by Hispanic (17.2%), Black (11.9%), and others (8.7%). K-means clustering procedure was used to classify unvaccinated participants into three clusters based on 9 survey BeSD items, including items assessing COVID-19 risk perception, social norms, vaccine confidence, and practical issues. Among unvaccinated adults (N = 23,397), 3 clusters were identified: the “Reachable” (23%), “Less reachable” (27%), and the “Least reachable” (50%). The least reachable cluster reported the lowest concern about COVID-19, mask-wearing behavior, perceived vaccine confidence, and were more likely to be male, non-Hispanic White, with no health conditions, from rural counties, have previously had COVID-19, and have not received a COVID-19 vaccine recommendation from a healthcare provider. This study identified, described, and compared the characteristics of the three unvaccinated subgroups. Public health practitioners, healthcare providers and community leaders can use these characteristics to better tailor messaging for each sub-population. Our findings may also help inform decisionmakers exploring possible policy interventions.

The COVID-19 Risk Perception: A Qualitative Study among the Population in an Urban Setting in Burkina Faso

Background: The population’s adherence to public health recommendations depends on many individual and collective cultural, socioeconomic, institutional, and environmental factors and the perception of the risks involved. This study aimed to describe and analyze the perception of risk related to coronavirus in the general population. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted in Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso. It involved the general population (youth and adults, men and women, traditional practitioners, religious leaders, and opinion leaders). The data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Results: Respondents perceived COVID-19 as deadly, dangerous, and highly contagious. It emerged that respondents perceived themselves to be at risk of being infected by the virus. This risk exposure is linked to several factors. These include the dangerousness of the disease contaminated by direct contact, the feeling of vulnerability linked to working conditions (traders, exposing themselves and others to the disease), status (elderly, and sick,), gender (mobility of men compared to women), and the risk relationship (the individual perceived as being a potential danger to his family/relatives). Vulnerability depended on the immune status of the people (elderly people, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases), working conditions (shopkeepers, and traders), and also socioeconomic categories (wealthy people). Conclusion: Policymakers and actors in the response to COVID-19 should develop communication strategies to better address ongoing challenges.