A longitudinal perspective on perceived vulnerability to disease during the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium

1Citations
Citations of this article
6Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

This article is free to access.

Abstract

During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, individuals relied heavily on media sources to stay informed about the disease and public health measures. However, differences exist in the type and frequency of news media consumption, which can be linked to their perceived vulnerability to disease. In this longitudinal study, 1000 Flemish (Belgium) individuals were followed from March 2020 until September 2020, focussing on the evolution in perceived vulnerability to disease (i.e. perceived infectability and germ aversion). Media consumption significantly impacts perceived germ aversion; heavy consumers of commercial media reported greater germ aversion than light consumers of these media. The evolution of germ aversion among individuals from March to August depends on their gender, living environment, age and possibility to work from home. Furthermore, the evolution of perceived infectability depends on the age and living environment of the respondent. These findings may interest policy makers and media professionals to anticipate how anxieties regarding contracting an infectious disease evolve over time and how individual characteristics affect this evolution.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Delporte, M., De Coninck, D., d’Haenens, L., Luyts, M., Verbeke, G., Molenberghs, G., & Matthijs, K. (2023). A longitudinal perspective on perceived vulnerability to disease during the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium. Health Promotion International, 38(2). https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daad026

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free