Yulei Feng|Qin Tong
Exploring the Mediating Role of Situation Awareness and Crisis Emotions Between Social Media Use and COVID-19 Protective Behaviors: Cross-Sectional Study
Shanghai Jiao Tong University|Shanghai Jiao Tong University
background outbreak infectious disease especially online media would usually important channel people get firsthand knowledge evaluate risks specific emergency although increasing attention effect social media use epidemics outbreaks relatively little known underlying mechanism social media plays role peoples cognitive affective preventive responses objective objective advance current knowledge surrounding social media effects peoples cognition affection health protective behaviors epidemics aim examine associations social media exposure covid19 risks related information preventive behavior public also role situation awareness crisis emotions including anxiety fear played methods online crosssectional survey conducted china total 632 participants recruited measures included exposure covid19 information social media situation awareness anxiety fear protective behaviors participants taken performed descriptive statistical analysis correlation mediation analysis test research hypotheses results findings indicated situation awareness positively associated social media use b 054 p amplt 0001 anxiety b 095 p amplt 0001 fear b 087 p amplt 0001 preventive behavior b 068 p amplt 0001 social media use would also indirect effect anxiety indirect effect 040 95 ci 034 046 fear indirect effect 035 95 ci 029 042 situation awareness serial mediation effect situation awareness fear correlation social media use preventive behavior testified indirect effect 004 95 ci 001 008 conclusions social media use might influence adoption preventive behaviors triggering situation awareness fear therefore health communication regarding covid19 prevention target people less internet access low ehealth literacy understanding positive role negative crisis emotions outbreaks could also help communicators policymakers develop appropriate strategies make people proactive avoid remaining health hazard