Publication
Age and education moderate the relationship between confidence in health and political authorities and intention to adopt COVID-19 health-protective behaviours
Publisher:
Center for Open Science
Date:
11-01-2021
DOI:
10.31219/OSF.IO/CWFX2
Abstract: PurposeResponding to worldwide pandemics, such as the recent COVID-19, requires the general public to comply with recommended health-protective behaviours at early stages of the spread of the virus. MethodologyThe current study of 1,211 Australians aimed to investigate whether confidence in political and health authorities predicted intention to adopt health-protective measures. We also investigated whether age, gender and education level moderated the relationship between confidence in authorities and adoption of health-protective behaviours. FindingsConfidence in authorities predicted intention to stay home among respondents younger than 54 years old. Confidence in authorities also predicted intention to download the COVIDSafe app, and this was significantly stronger among better educated and older respondents. Although confidence did not predict intention to wear a face mask, the interaction between confidence and education predicted adherence to mask-wearing recommendations. ValueOur findings can inform the development of targeted communications to increase health-protective behaviours at early stages of future pandemics.