The effect of risk communication on preventive and protective Behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak: mediating role of risk perception

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 outbreak is a global pandemic, during which the community preventive and protective behaviors play a crucial role in the containment and control of infection. This study was designed to contribute to the existing knowledge on how risk communication (RC) and risk perception (RP) affect protective and preventive behaviors (PPB) during the COVID-19 outbreak. METHODS: The required data were extracted from a national online survey of Iranian adults aged 15 and older during March 15–19, 2020 (n=3213). Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: The study findings reveal that RC has direct and indirect positive effects on PB. Furthermore, this study also provides new evidence indicating that RP mediates the relationship between RC and PB and there is a two-way relationship between RC and RP. These interactions may have impact on risk communication strategies which should be adopted during this pandemic. CONCLUSION: The study findings have remarkable implications for informing future communications as well as interventions during this ongoing outbreak and subsequent national risk events. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-020-10125-5.