COVID-19 Pandemic Offers Valuable Insights into Crisis Management and Risk Communication

Strategic Insights -

Research conducted at the University of Macau has shed new light on the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the crucial role of emotional responses in shaping individual behavior and trust in various entities during the early stages of the public health crisis. A nationwide survey of 1568 adult participants in China from January 31 to February 9, 2020, revealed that negative emotions had a direct and indirect impact on trust in government, scientists, and health care providers, through increased information engagement.

Key Takeaways:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic provides valuable insights into crisis management and risk communication, particularly through retrospective analyses that allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the crisis.
  • Emotional responses played a crucial role in shaping how individuals processed information and built trust in different objects during the early stages of the pandemic.
  • The study aimed to investigate how negative emotions influence online information engagement and trust in 4 distinct entities: government, scientists, health care providers, and other people.
  • Participants were asked questions related to negative emotions, engagement with online information, and their trust in 4 different entities during the pandemic.
  • The data collection was particularly valuable due to the limited access to national samples in China during the early stages of the public health crisis.
  • The study revealed that negative emotions had a direct effect on trust and also indirectly fostered trust in the government and scientists through increased information engagement.
  • A 95% bootstrap CI approach was used to estimate the mediation effects, which showed a positive association between negative emotions and trust in government and scientists.
  • The study highlights the different pathways through which emotions and information behaviors affect trust during public health crises, offering critical lessons for future public health emergencies and risk communication.

Statistics:

  • 1568 adult participants were involved in the nationwide survey in China from January 31 to February 9, 2020.
  • 95% bootstrap CI approach was used to estimate the mediation effects.
  • B = 0.219, SE = 0.023, P < 0.001 for the positive association between negative emotions and trust in government and scientists.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. New COVID-19 Data Have Been Reported by Researchers at University of Macau (Reconsidering Trust and Information Engagement and Unpacking the Role of Emotion in Public Responses During the Early Stage of a Public Health Crisis in China: ...). Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA. September 21, 2025; p 139.
  • Reconsidering Trust and Information Engagement and Unpacking the Role of Emotion in Public Responses During the Early Stage of a Public Health Crisis in China: Web-Based Survey Study. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 2025;17.