Role of health communication on perceived risk and influence on preventative behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study.

Objective: Risk perception is a key influencing factor on the adoption of preventative health behaviours. This study aimed to understand the role of health communication on how people perceived the risk of COVID-19 and influenced relevant health behaviours to minimise disease susceptibility during the COVID-19 pandemic among people with a chronic disease.

Design: This qualitative study involved a semi-structured interview of participants diagnosed with a chronic disease. In analysing interview responses, the Health Belief Model was utilised as a sensitising framework to facilitate analysis and explore themes within the domains of the model.

Setting: Interviews were completed between August and December 2020 through online platforms with individual participants.

Participants: Participants were Australian residents aged ≥18 years with self-reported chronic disease(s). Ninety interviews were completed, and a sample of 33 participants were enrolled for analysis.

Results: Two main themes were identified: cues to action and perception of the threat of infection. Many participants had implemented external cues to preventative behaviours, including, but not limited to, social distancing, hand hygiene and, in some cases, mask use, mirroring enforced government restrictions. Individuals also had several social motivators from family, particularly those working in the health field, and the wider community to employ the enforced preventative behaviours. However, despite having a chronic disease, many participants did not recognise themselves as being susceptible to COVID-19. Rather, they were more concerned for others that they characterised as being at high risk, including the elderly. Geographical location also played a role in risk prevention behaviour; owing to low case numbers in rural and remote areas, the risk of susceptibility was not perceived to be high.

Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the need to clearly communicate the risk of infection to allow individuals to make informed decisions on preventative behaviours. This has ongoing relevance to future emergencies, including future pandemics/epidemics, and highlights the greater challenge if similar public health measures are contemplated again.