Trust in government regarding COVID-19 and its associations with preventive health behaviour and prosocial behaviour during the pandemic:a cross-sectional and longitudinal study

Han, Qing and Zheng, Bang and Cristea, Mioara and Agostini, Maximilian and Belanger, Jocelyn J and Gutzkow, Ben and Kreienkamp, Jannis and Collaboration, PsyCorona and Abdul Khaiyom, Jamilah Hanum and Leander, N Pontus (2021) Trust in government regarding COVID-19 and its associations with preventive health behaviour and prosocial behaviour during the pandemic:a cross-sectional and longitudinal study. Psychological Medicine. pp. 1-11. ISSN 0033-2917 E-ISSN 1469-8978

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Abstract

Background. The effective implementation of government policies and measures for controlling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic requires compliance from the public. This study aimed to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of trust in government regarding COVID-19 control with the adoption of recommended health behaviours and prosocial behaviours, and potential determinants of trust in government during the pandemic. Methods. This study analysed data from the PsyCorona Survey, an international project on COVID-19 that included 23 733 participants from 23 countries (representative in age and gender distributions by country) at baseline survey and 7785 participants who also completed follow-up surveys. Specification curve analysis was used to examine concurrent associations between trust in government and self-reported behaviours. We further used structural equation model to explore potential determinants of trust in government. Multilevel linear regressions were used to examine associations between baseline trust and longitudinal behavioural changes. Results. Higher trust in government regarding COVID-19 control was significantly associated with higher adoption of health behaviours (handwashing, avoiding crowded space, self- quarantine) and prosocial behaviours in specification curve analyses (median standardised β= 0.173 and 0.229, p < 0.001). Government perceived as well organised, disseminating clear messages and knowledge on COVID-19, and perceived fairness were positively associated with trust in government (standardised β= 0.358, 0.230, 0.056, and 0.249, p < 0.01). Higher trust at baseline survey was significantly associated with lower rate of decline in health behaviours over time ( p for interaction = 0.001). Conclusions. These results highlighted the importance of trust in government in the control of COVID-19.

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Additional Information:	5374/90094
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology > BF309 Consciousness. Cognition B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology > BF511 Affection. Feeling. Emotion B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology > BF608 Will. Volition. Choice. Control H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HM Sociology H Social Sciences > HM Sociology > HM1001 Social psychology H Social Sciences > HM Sociology > HM1106 Interpersonal relations. Social behavior R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA643 Communicable Diseases and Public Health R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA790 Mental Health. Mental Illness Prevention
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences > Department of Psychology
Depositing User:	Dr Jamilah Hanum Abdul Khaiyom
Date Deposited:	04 Jun 2021 12:17
Last Modified:	04 Jun 2021 12:17
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/90094

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