Self-efficacy, Threat, Knowledge, and Information Receptivity: Exploring Pandemic Prevention Behaviors to Enhance Societal Welfare

Disease prevention is important to societal welfare and sustainability, especially when a disease has reached pandemic proportions. The findings from a USA Internet survey show that self-efficacy, perceived threat, perceived knowledge quantity, and information receptivity influence self-reported health prevention behaviors. Hypotheses developed from the Health Belief Model are supported. The results will help guide development of effective public prevention marketing and communications for future widespread diseases.