Department of Strategic Communication, Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
College of Communication, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 24;20(5):4041. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20054041.
Few existing studies have examined information processing as an independent variable to predict subsequent information behaviors in a pandemic context, and the mechanism of subsequent information behavior processing following the initial or prior information behavior is unclear.
Our study aims to apply the risk information seeking and processing model to explain the mechanism of subsequent systematic information processing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A three-wave longitudinal online national survey was administered during the period of July 2020 to September 2020. Path analysis was conducted to test the relationships between prior and subsequent systematic information processing and protective behaviors.
One important finding was the key role of prior systematic information processing, as indirect hazard experience was found to be a direct predictor of risk perception ( = 0.15, = 0.004) and an indirect predictor of protective behaviors. Another important finding was the central role of information insufficiency as a mediator/driving force in subsequent systematic information processing and protective behavior.
The study has made important contributions in that it extends the scholarship on health information behaviors by (a) highlighting that relevant hazard experience in risk information seeking and processing model should be expanded to include indirect experience, and (b) providing the mechanism of subsequent systematic information processing following prior information processing. Our study also provides practical implications on health/risk communication and protective behaviors' promotion in the pandemic context.
很少有研究将信息处理作为一个独立变量来预测大流行背景下的后续信息行为，而且初始或先前信息行为后后续信息行为的处理机制尚不清楚。
本研究旨在应用风险信息寻求与处理模型来解释 COVID-19 大流行背景下后续系统信息处理的机制。
2020 年 7 月至 9 月期间进行了三次纵向在线全国调查。通过路径分析检验了先前和后续系统信息处理与保护行为之间的关系。
一个重要发现是先前系统信息处理的关键作用，因为间接危险体验被发现是风险感知（β=0.15，p=0.004）和保护行为的直接预测因素。另一个重要发现是信息不足作为后续系统信息处理和保护行为的中介/驱动力的核心作用。
本研究通过（a）强调风险信息寻求与处理模型中的相关危险体验应扩展到包括间接体验，以及（b）提供先前信息处理后后续系统信息处理的机制，为健康信息行为研究做出了重要贡献。本研究还为大流行背景下的健康/风险传播和保护行为的促进提供了实际意义。
