The dynamic evolution mechanism of public health risk perception and the choice of policy tools in the post-epidemic era: Evidence from China

OBJECTIVES: Repeated outbreaks of small-intensity epidemics are one of the important features of the post-epidemic era. After a new round of epidemics broke out in Liaoning in mid-May 2021, the Chinese government's vaccination process quickly accelerated, completing nearly 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccination within 7 days. How is this efficient policy implementation process accomplished? What is the behavioral logic behind it? METHODS: This article constructs an analysis framework of “perception-goal-tool”. Trying to study the individual's micro-psychological mechanism as a starting point, with the help of a Health Belief Model, to explore the dynamic evolution of individual health risk perception before and after the outbreak of a small-intensity epidemic and its impact on vaccination willingness. And on this basis, analyze the flexible governance process of the Chinese government in the post-epidemic period. RESULTS: The perceived severity is the core variable that affects the public's willingness to vaccinate. A small-intensity epidemic outbreak will aggravate the impact of the three health belief components on the public's willingness to vaccinate. In the three interactive analyses of health belief components, individuals have the highest willingness to inoculate in situations of low perceived susceptibility, low perception barriers, and high perception severity, and economic policy tools and authoritative policy tools play a key role before and after the outbreak of a small-intensity epidemic. CONCLUSION: In the context of a small-intensity epidemic, the reason why the Chinese government can achieve rapid crisis management lies in the interaction between policy goals, policy tools, and public risk perception.