Perception versus preference: The role of self-assessed risk measures on individual mitigation behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254756
• Publication Date: 2021-08-04T17:31:56Z
• Authors: Bachir Kassas; Stephen N. Morgan; John H. Lai; Jaclyn D. Kropp; Zhifeng Gao
• Keywords: Pandemic; Risk Perception

In the midst of a global pandemic, prevention methods stand as crucial first step toward addressing public health crisis and controlling spread virus. However, slowing virus hinges on public’s willingness to follow combination mitigation practices avoid contracting transmitting disease. this study, we investigate factors related individuals’ risk perceptions associated with COVID-19 well their general self-assessed preferences. We also provide insights regarding role preferences behavior by examining correlation between these measures both likelihood following various total number followed. Although find be significantly correlated behaviors, are larger practices. Additionally, significant heterogeneity in behaviors across numerous individual household characteristics. These results can serve benchmark for design development interventions increase awareness promote higher adoption