Influence of Health Beliefs on Adherence to COVID-19 Preventative Practices: International, Social Media-Based Survey Study.
Julianna C HsingJasmin MaAlejandra Barrero-CastilleroShilpa G JaniUma Palam PulendranBea-Jane LinMonika Thomas-UribeChih-Hung Jason WangPublished in: Journal of medical Internet research (2021)
Social media recruitment strategies can be used to reach a large audience during a pandemic. Self-efficacy was the strongest predictor for handwashing and social distancing. Policies that address relevant health beliefs can facilitate adoption of necessary actions for preventing COVID-19. Our findings may be explained by the timing of government policies, the number of cases reported in each country, individual beliefs, and cultural context.