Threat, efficacy, and the ambivalent role of COVID-19 news: an EPPM analysis of health discrimination and preventive behaviors

Introduction During global public health crises, news media play a crucial role in disseminating information about prevention, treatment, and recovery. This study aims to investigate the social and psychological impact of news during the prevention and control process of COVID-19 in China. Methods We collected data from 598 participants and employed the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) to analyze the influence of different combinations of perceived threat and perceived efficacy in news on fear, compliance with preventive measures, and health discrimination. Results The findings reveal significant associations between perceived threat and various outcomes: increased fear, enhanced compliance with preventive measures, and heightened health discrimination. In this process, perceived efficacy has a significant moderating effect: under high perceived efficacy conditions, fear's promotion of health discrimination is suppressed, and its encouragement of preventive measures is enhanced. Conclusion This study highlights that balanced health communication in media, conveying both threats and efficacy, is crucial for mitigating health discrimination and sustaining public motivation for preventive behaviors.