The impact of health risk communication on self-perceived health and worry of targeted groups: Lessons from the Swedish COVID-19 response.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Swedish COVID-19 strategy aimed to protect vulnerable groups through targeted measures, categorizing individuals aged 70 and above as high-risk. This study examines the impact of such group-based risk assessments on subjective health and virus-related concerns among older adults.

Methods

We analyzed survey data from the SOM Institute for 68- to 71-year-olds in 2019 (N = 684) and 2020 (N = 726). Using ordered logit regression, we compared perceived health and virus-related concerns between individuals just below (68-69 years) and just above (70-71 years) the high-risk age threshold, controlling for demographic factors.

Results

In 2020, 70-year-olds reported significantly lower perceived health compared to their 69-year-old peers, a difference not observe

SUBMITTER: Rickardsson J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11741659 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature