Relationship between Risk Perception, Emotion, and Coping Behavior during Public Health Emergencies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Complex mechanisms exist between public risk perception, emotions, and coping behaviors during health emergencies. To unravel the relationship between these three phenomena, a meta-analytic approach was employed in this study. Using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.0, 81 papers were analyzed after selection. The results of the meta-analysis showed that (1) risk perception (perceived severity, perceived susceptibility) and negative emotions (especially fear) are both correlated with coping behaviors; (2) risk perception is strongly correlated with fear and moderately correlated with anxiety; and (3) anxiety predicts the adoption of coping behaviors. The existing research provided an empirical basis for implementing effective coping behavior interventions and implied that management decisionmakers need to consider reasonable interventions through multiple channels to maintain the public’s risk perception and emotions within appropriate levels. Finally, future research directions are suggested.