Information Sources, Risk Perception, and Efficacy Appraisal's Prediction of Engagement in Protective Behaviors Against COVID-19 in China: Repeated Cross-sectional Survey.

Chinese individuals' engagement in protective behaviors might not entirely be their autonomous decision but a result of compliance with executive orders. After the early outbreak, expert sources started to facilitate protective behaviors, suggesting that it might take time to develop trust in these sources. The facilitating effect of perceived severity lasted throughout the duration of the pandemic, but that of response efficacy was limited to the early stage.