The Effects of Social Media Use on Preventive Behaviors during Infectious Disease Outbreaks: The Mediating Role of Self-relevant Emotions and Public Risk Perception.
Health Commun
; 36(8): 972-981, 2021 07.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32064932
ABSTRACT
While there has been increasing attention to the role of social media during infectious disease outbreaks, relatively little is known about the underlying mechanisms by which social media use affects risk perception and preventive behaviors during such outbreaks. Using data collected during the 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak in South Korea, this study explores the relationships among social media use, risk perception, and preventive behaviors by examining the mediating role of two self-relevant emotions fear and anger. The findings demonstrate that social media use is positively related to both of these emotions, which are also positively related to the public's risk perception. The findings also indicate that social media use can significantly increase preventive behaviors via the two self-relevant emotions and the public's risk perception.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Disease Outbreaks
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Social Media
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
Health Commun
Journal subject:
PESQUISA EM SERVICOS DE SAUDE
/
SERVICOS DE SAUDE
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article