Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19
Open accessAbstract
The rapidly evolving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is placing an overwhelming burden on health systems and authorities to respond with effective and appropriate interventions, policies, and messages. A critical element in reducing transmission of the virus is rapid and widespread behavioural change. Evidence shows that a perceived lack of consistency, competence, fairness, objectivity, empathy, or sincerity in crisis response in the public could lead to distrust and fear.1 Conversely, when the public perceives measures as having these characteristics, as well as being easily understood and communicated through trusted and accessible channels, and when the necessary services are available, people are able to make informed choices, protect themselves, and comply with recommended practices.
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Cites
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Claims the paper makes
0 of 9 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged
- Premisecitation§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19
People's perceived risk is not necessarily aligned with their actual risk.
“but paradoxically, how people perceive risk is not necessarily correlated with the actual risk.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites [5] Reintjes, 2016, “Pandemic public health paradox”: time series analysis of the 2009/10 Influenza A/H1N1 epidemiology, media attention, risk perception and public reactions in 5 European countries, PLoS One source
Not checked in the free run.
- Premisecitation§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19
In the 2009-10 influenza pandemic, uncertainty and perceived exaggeration were linked to a lower chance of adopting recommended behaviours.
“This was seen during the influenza pandemic in 2009-10,5 where uncertainty and perceived exaggeration were also associated with a reduced likelihood to implement the recommended behaviours.6”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites [6] Rubin, 2009, Public perceptions, anxiety, and behaviour change in relation to the swine flu outbreak: cross sectional telephone survey, BMJ source
Not checked in the free run.
- Premisecitation§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19
Risk perceptions affect individual protective behaviours.
“Risk perceptions influence individual protective behaviours4”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites [4] Van der Pligt, 1996, Risk perception and self-protective behavior, Euro Psychol source
Not checked in the free run.
- Interpretationreasoning§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19
The proposed study can quickly produce data on acceptance of new response measures.
“data on acceptance of new response measures can be made rapidly available;”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Premisecitation§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19
There is insufficient knowledge about how changing epidemiology, media attention, pandemic control measures, risk perception, and public health behaviour interact.
“At the same time, not enough is known about the complex interplay of changing epidemiology, media attention, pandemic control measures, risk perception, and public health behaviour.5”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites [5] Reintjes, 2016, “Pandemic public health paradox”: time series analysis of the 2009/10 Influenza A/H1N1 epidemiology, media attention, risk perception and public reactions in 5 European countries, PLoS One source
Not checked in the free run.
- Premisecitation§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19
A public perception that a crisis response lacks consistency, competence, fairness, objectivity, empathy, or sincerity can produce distrust and fear.
“Evidence shows that a perceived lack of consistency, competence, fairness, objectivity, empathy, or sincerity in crisis response in the public could lead to distrust and fear.1”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites [1] 2017
Not checked in the free run.
- Premisecitation§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19
When people see measures as consistent, competent, fair, objective, empathetic, sincere, easily understood, and communicated through trusted accessible channels, and when needed services exist, they can make informed choices, protect themselves, and follow recommended practices.
“Conversely, when the public perceives measures as having these characteristics, as well as being easily understood and communicated through trusted and accessible channels, and when the necessary services are available, people are able to make informed choices, protect themselves, and comply with recommended practices.2, 3”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked- cites [2] Glik, 2007, Risk communication for public health emergencies, ResearchGate
Not checked in the free run.
- cites [3]
Not checked in the free run.
- Premisecitation§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19
Crisis and risk communication models indicate that grasping risk perceptions is essential for an effective and suitable crisis response.
“Models of crisis and risk communication thus suggest that understanding risk perceptions is critical for an effective and appropriate crisis response.7”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites [7] Reynolds, 2005, Crisis and emergency risk communication as an integrative model, J Health Commun source
Not checked in the free run.
- Premisecitation§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19
The weekly COVID-19 Snapshot MOnitoring (COSMO) project began in Germany on March 3, 2020.
“Weekly COVID-19 Snapshot MOnitoring (COSMO) was initiated in Germany on March 3, 2020.8”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites [8] Betsch, 2020, COVID-19 Snapshot MOnitoring (COSMO): monitoring knowledge, risk perceptions, preventive behaviours, and public trust in the current coronavirus outbreak, Psych Archives
Not checked in the free run.
- Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 4
- May combine two claims. 3
Classified as probably not a substantial claim.
Interpretationreasoning§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19The proposed study can track changes over time in risk perceptions or knowledge.
“Changes in risk perceptions or knowledge can be assessed over time;”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claimProbably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.
Interpretationnone given§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19The proposed serial cross-sectional design permits rapid, adaptive tracking of key variables over time, examination of relationships among them, and randomisation of answer options when appropriate.
“The suggested serial, cross-sectional study allows rapid and adaptive monitoring of focal variables over time, assessment of the relations between them, and randomisation of answer options where suitable.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claimProbably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.
Interpretationreasoning§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19Rapid collection and sharing of data could foster effective interaction among authorities, health workers, journalists, and the public, encouraging suitable behaviour change, helping manage the crisis, and protecting public trust.
“In sum, rapid data collection and sharing could support effective interaction between authorities, health workers, journalists, and the public to encourage appropriate behavioural change, to manage the crisis, and to protect the most important asset in a crisis: public trust.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim- Rests on an assumption: A rapid, broad shift in behaviour is essential for lowering transmission of the virus.
Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.
Interpretationreasoning§ Monitoring behavioural insights related to COVID-19The proposed study can detect misinformation or possible stigma as they arise.
“and misinformation or possible stigma can be identified as they emerge.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
The paper relies on this without support.
A rapid, broad shift in behaviour is essential for lowering transmission of the virus.
“A critical element in reducing transmission of the virus is rapid and widespread behavioural change.”
Cites
Crisis and emergency risk communication as an integrative model
REYNOLDS, B., & W. SEEGER, M. (2005) · Journal of Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10810730590904571 · Cited by 1,287 · see citing works
Rubin, G. J., Amlot, R., Page, L., & Wessely, S. (2009) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.b2651 · Cited by 1,106 · see citing works
Risk Communication for Public Health Emergencies
Glik, D. C. (2007) · Annual Review of Public Health · doi:10.1146/annurev.publhealth.28.021406.144123 · Cited by 733 · see citing works
Lifestyle behaviours during the COVID‐19 – time to connect
Balanzá‐Martínez, V., Atienza-Carbonell, B., Kapczinski, F. P., & Boni, R. B. D. (2020) · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica · doi:10.1111/acps.13177 · Cited by 283 · see citing works
Risk perception and self-protective behavior
van der Pligt, J. (1996) · European Psychologist · doi:10.1027/1016-9040.1.1.34 · Cited by 249 · see citing works
Betsch, C., Wieler, L. H., Bošnjak, M., Ramharter, M., Stollorz, V., Omer, S. B., Korn, L., Sprengholz, P., Felgendreff, L., Eitze, S., et al. (2020) · doi:10.23668/psycharchives.2776 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Self-citationReintjes, R., Das, E., Klemm, C., Richardus, J. H., Keßler, V., & Ahmad, A. (2016) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0151258 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
Gesser‐Edelsburg, A., Cohen, R., Hijazi, R., & Shahbari, N. A. E. (2020) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/19370 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Christof, C., Nußbaumer-Streit, B., & Gartlehner, G. (2019) · Das Gesundheitswesen · doi:10.1055/a-0887-4545 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Blix, I., Birkeland, M. S., & Thoresen, S. (2021) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-021-10927-1 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
- Authors
- Betsch, C., Wieler, L. H., & Habersaat, K.
- Affiliations
- University of Erfurt (DE)
- Robert Koch Institute (DE)
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (DK)
- Corresponding author
- Betsch, Cornelia
- Venue
- The Lancet
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-04
- Volume
- 395
- Issue
- 10232
- Pages
- 1255-1256
- ISSN
- 0099-5355 (ISSN-L)
- 0140-6736
- PMC
- PMC7163179
- OpenAlex
- W3013119633
- Cited by
- 335
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 58 · 2021: 109 · 2020: 60
- FWCI
- 79.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- The Lancet (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- World Health Organization
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Communication › Communication and COVID-19 Impact
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › COVID-19 Prevention and Impact
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Modeling and Simulation › COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Keywords
- COVID-19 pandemic, behavior change, public trust, crisis response, health communication, perceived competence, perceived fairness, perceived sincerity, health system burden, pandemic interventions
- MeSH terms
- Betacoronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Data Collection, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Pneumonia, Viral, Public Opinion, Health Behavior, Coronavirus Infections, Risk Assessment, Information Dissemination, Health Communication, Pandemics
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