The impact of COVID-19 infection experience on risk perception and preventive behaviour: a cohort study.

ABSTRACT: This study examined whether coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection experience enhances preventive behaviour (i.e., hand disinfection and mask-wearing), with risk perception acting as a mediating factor. The study included participants aged ≥18 years residing in Japan, enrolled in a 30-wave cohort study conducted from January 2020 to March 2024. Using propensity score matching, 135 pairs of participants with and without infection were extracted, adjusting for dread and unknown risk perception, preventive behaviours, sociopsychological variables, and individual attributes. Comparisons of risk perception and preventive behaviour were made between groups post-infection experience, and mediation analysis was conducted to test whether risk perception mediated the effect of infection exper

SUBMITTER: Murakami M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12780920 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature