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A Precautionary Tale: Individual Decision Making in the Time of COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Ann Pearman

    (Department of Psychiatry, MetroHealth Medical Center, 2500 MetroHealth Drive, Cleveland, OH 44109, USA)

  • MacKenzie L. Hughes

    (School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA)

  • Clara W. Coblenz

    (School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA)

  • Emily L. Smith

    (Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7650, USA)

  • Shevaun D. Neupert

    (Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7650, USA)

Abstract

Precaution taking is an important part of managing COVID-19 and has been since the start of the pandemic. Guided by the Health Belief Model, two studies conducted during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic aimed to identify possible individual difference predictors of precautionary actions. Study 1 was an online, cross-sectional study using 763 adults aged 20–79 years old. Study 2, a 30-day daily diary study, examined daily precautions in 261 persons over the age of 55 years old. Study 1 and Study 2 indicated that COVID-19 knowledge predicted precautionary behaviors. Multilevel models from Study 2 indicated that daily increases in in-person interactions and leaving home were associated with decreases in precautions, but increases in disruption to routine were associated with increases in precautions. In both studies, including concurrent and lagged models in Study 2, significant interactions between information seeking and perceived risk suggested higher information seeking was related to higher precautions for those who consider themselves low risk. Findings highlight the burden of daily precautions and potentially modifiable factors of engagement in precautions.

Suggested Citation

  • Ann Pearman & MacKenzie L. Hughes & Clara W. Coblenz & Emily L. Smith & Shevaun D. Neupert, 2023. "A Precautionary Tale: Individual Decision Making in the Time of COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-14, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4597-:d:1088180
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sarah Dryhurst & Claudia R. Schneider & John Kerr & Alexandra L. J. Freeman & Gabriel Recchia & Anne Marthe van der Bles & David Spiegelhalter & Sander van der Linden, 2020. "Risk perceptions of COVID-19 around the world," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(7-8), pages 994-1006, August.
    2. Andrea Moscadelli & Giuseppe Albora & Massimiliano Alberto Biamonte & Duccio Giorgetti & Michele Innocenzio & Sonia Paoli & Chiara Lorini & Paolo Bonanni & Guglielmo Bonaccorsi, 2020. "Fake News and Covid-19 in Italy: Results of a Quantitative Observational Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-13, August.
    3. David P. Durham & Elizabeth A. Casman & Steven M. Albert, 2012. "Deriving Behavior Model Parameters from Survey Data: Self‐Protective Behavior Adoption During the 2009–2010 Influenza A(H1N1) Pandemic," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(12), pages 2020-2031, December.
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