Emmanouil, I.; Diamantis, M.; Niakas, D.; Aletras, V. The Effect of Nudging on Compliance with Individual Prevention Measures against COVID-19: An Online Experiment on Greek University Students. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2024, 21, 31.
Emmanouil, I.; Diamantis, M.; Niakas, D.; Aletras, V. The Effect of Nudging on Compliance with Individual Prevention Measures against COVID-19: An Online Experiment on Greek University Students. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 31.
Emmanouil, I.; Diamantis, M.; Niakas, D.; Aletras, V. The Effect of Nudging on Compliance with Individual Prevention Measures against COVID-19: An Online Experiment on Greek University Students. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2024, 21, 31.
Emmanouil, I.; Diamantis, M.; Niakas, D.; Aletras, V. The Effect of Nudging on Compliance with Individual Prevention Measures against COVID-19: An Online Experiment on Greek University Students. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 31.
Abstract
Nudging has often been suggested as a means to promote health care efficiency and effectiveness by influencing behavior without restricting choice; its usefulness however has not been adequately assessed. We examined the effect of an altruistically framed awareness message about the novel coronavirus on the intention to comply with individual prevention measures against infection. 425 Greek postgraduate students, that were randomly assigned into a treatment and a control group, filled out a questionnaire on compliance and future intention to comply with six preventive measures. Results indicate that the altruistic message did not manage to influence intention to comply. Moreover, compliance was positively associated with risk perception, whereas women showed both higher compliance and risk perception than men. Vulnerability to novel coronavirus and positive vaccination status against it were accompanied by greater perception of risk, while the personal history of COVID-19 was associated with lower intention to comply, lower risk perception and higher health risk preferences. We conclude that nudging interventions should be evaluated before being adopted in practice, taking into account timing, target groups and means of communication.
Copyright:
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