ABSTRACT
The proven high mortality of COVID-19 prompted the use of local and national media channels to promote public awareness of COVID-19, increase public knowledge of symptoms, and cue the public to implement protective nonpharmaceutical intervention (NPI) behaviors. Because evidence shows use of media can effectively provide public health information and NPIs can effectively mitigate the spread of infectious diseases, this study focused on perceived media credibility and health behavior compliance by providing a snapshot of the perceptions and intentions of American adults. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between perceived media credibility (PMC), health beliefs related to COVID-19 and NPIs, and willingness to comply with nonpharmaceutical intervention recommendations (WTC-NPI). The NPIs explored in this study include handwashing, social distancing, and face mask wearing. The study implemented a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design. The Health Belief Model guided the study to examine health perceptions and intentions to comply with NPI recommendations. Source Credibility Theory guided the study to examine media credibility's relationship with health belief and behavioral intentions. The study adapted Meyer's Credibility Index and Champion's Health Belief Model Scale to administer an online survey of 377 adults in the United States in June 2021. Additionally, the survey addressed partisanship, health status relative to COVID-19 comorbidities, and knowledge and interest of COVID-19 related information. Compliance was measured with a new variable, willingness to comply with nonpharmaceutical intervention recommendations (WTC-NPI), which comprises the initial uptake and persistence of a behavior. PMC was found to be positively associated with health belief, and health belief was found to be positively associated with WTC-NPI. PMC was found to have both a direct and indirect (mediated) relationship with WTC-NPI. Perceived severity was the only significant HBM mediator between PMC and WTC-NPI. However, partisanship emerged as a significant predictor of WTC-NPI. These results show the importance of establishing media credibility when using media for public health and risk communication. Moreover, the presence of predisposing factors continues to impact behavioral intention. The final results of the study yielded the development of the Perceived Credibility and Severity (PERCS) Model of Compliance. Use of the PERCS Model and the results of this study can guide public health professionals and health communication researchers in the development of informative and efficacious health recommendations to be conveyed in the media. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)