Media exposure and adoption of COVID-19 preventive behaviors in Brazil

Gustavo S. Mesch; Wilson Levy Braga da Silva Neto; Jose Eduardo Storopoli

doi:10.1177/14614448221122203

Media exposure and adoption of COVID-19 preventive behaviors in Brazil

Gustavo S. Mesch, Wilson Levy Braga da Silva Neto, Jose Eduardo Storopoli

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to study the effects of media communication regarding COVID-19 on the adoption of healthy behaviors. Specifically, we investigated the role of fear in the relationship between media exposure and adoption of healthy protective measures while also identifying individual effects for traditional media (TV and newspapers) versus social media. The study was based on a large sample of university students (n = 7554) during April 2020 in Brazil. Results showed that controlling for self-efficacy, age, and gender, total media exposure had greater indirect effect than direct effect on the adoption of healthy behaviors. The indirect effect was through the perception of fear of becoming ill (with COVID-19). We discuss the theoretical implications of the findings.

Original language	English
Journal	New Media and Society
Volume	26
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448221122203
State	Published - 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2022.

Keywords

COVID-19
health communication
media dependency
media effects
preventive behaviors
risk perception

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Communication
Sociology and Political Science

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10.1177/14614448221122203

Cite this

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title = "Media exposure and adoption of COVID-19 preventive behaviors in Brazil",

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AB - The purpose of this article is to study the effects of media communication regarding COVID-19 on the adoption of healthy behaviors. Specifically, we investigated the role of fear in the relationship between media exposure and adoption of healthy protective measures while also identifying individual effects for traditional media (TV and newspapers) versus social media. The study was based on a large sample of university students (n = 7554) during April 2020 in Brazil. Results showed that controlling for self-efficacy, age, and gender, total media exposure had greater indirect effect than direct effect on the adoption of healthy behaviors. The indirect effect was through the perception of fear of becoming ill (with COVID-19). We discuss the theoretical implications of the findings.

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Media exposure and adoption of COVID-19 preventive behaviors in Brazil

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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