Fear of COVID-19 and Prevention Behaviors: Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis

Abstract

Background The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has brought forth conversations about effective behavior change models for increasing prevention behavior, ranging from wearing masks in public to physical distancing. Among the considered behavior change techniques is the use of fear appeals, through which a negative possible outcome is emphasized to invoke fear, which in turn may promote prevention behaviors to counter the likelihood of the negative outcome. Although fear is hypothesized as health promoting in some theories of health behavior, little research has rigorously assessed the relationship. Objective In our exploratory analyses, we aim to examine the association, including directionality of the association between fear of COVID-19 and COVID-19 prevention behaviors across 2 time points during the early COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of US women. Methods The COPE study, a web-based survey of US women’s COVID-19 experiences, was deployed in May-June 2020 (time 1) with follow-up in December 2020-January 2021 (time 2; n=200). Demographic characteristics as well as fear of COVID-19 and COVID-19 prevention behaviors (eg, staying home except for essential activities, physical distancing in public, and masking in public) were measured. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were used to characterize COVID-19 prevention behaviors and fear of COVID-19 among participants. Cross-lagged panel analysis, a type of structural equation modeling that assesses directionality of temporal associations, was used to understand relationships, if any, between variables of interest. Results We found cross-sectional associations between fear of COVID-19 and staying home and physical distancing, as well as temporal associations between fear at time 1 and time 2 and prevention behaviors at time 1 and time 2. However, results of the cross-lagged panel analysis indicated no cross-lagged temporal relationships between fear of COVID-19 and COVID-19 prevention behaviors 6 months apart. Conclusions Fear of COVID-19 did not appear to predict COVID-19 prevention behaviors 6 months after initial measurements among the sample of women recruited for our study. Future research should rigorously test these associations longitudinally, and alternative methods of public health prevention promotion should be considered.

Exploring the relationship between older adults’ online health information seeking, negative emotions and prevention behaviors in the pandemic context: a two-wave longitudinal study

“…This finding is in line with previous studies showing that anxiety is associated with the prevention behaviors of older adults ( 7 , 48 ). However, a previous study also showed that fear did not predict prevention behavior 6 months later in US women ( 60 ), possibly because older adults have more life experiences and tend to become more cautious and inclined to have better compliance with preventive measures after experiencing negative psychological emotions ( 61 ). Moreover, the cross-lagged effect between prevention behavior in wave 1 and negative emotions in wave 2 was not significant.…”

Forgetting what shouldn't be forgotten: the new normal after the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

“…Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous countries have adopted measures to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The main strategies to contain the contagion were social distancing, wearing masks, and lockdown, the latter more intensely (Marson and Ortega, 2020 ; Boschiero et al, 2021 ; Anderson and Stockman, 2022 ). However, considering the current Brazilian scenario, it is observed that the behavior of people in a post-pandemic world opens a window to potential forgetfulness of what the disease is capable of, since even with the recommendations of public health specialists, Brazilians presented attitudes that challenged their own survival during the COVID-19 pandemic (Martins et al, 2023 ).…”

“…So, wearing masks and maintaining social distancing were effective in the beginning. However, over these four years of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been noted that people no longer adhered to protection recommendations (Anderson and Stockman, 2022 ). Have they lost their fear of possible contamination?…”