The health belief model: Evaluating governmental public health messages on social media aimed at preventing a COVID-19 epidemic in Kuwait

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effect of embracing the Health Belief Model (HBM) in governmental public health messages on social media during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Adoption of the HBM seeks to improve the level of response of Kuwaiti people towards governmental messages regarding social distancing, staying at home, and self-protection. To fulfil the study’s aim, a quantitative research design was adopted in which data were collected from 746 respondents in Kuwait to examine the effect of perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, health motivation, and cues to action, based on each individual’s behaviour. Data were analysed through AMOS 22.0 and the findings showed that governmental messages on social media should consider the above-mentioned aspects in order to positively impact the behaviour of Kuwaiti individuals.

Keywords:

• health belief model
• public health
• government
• COVID-19
• Kuwait

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

This study aimed to examine the effect of embracing the Health Belief Model (HBM) in governmental public health messages on social media during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Adoption of the HBM seeks to improve the level of response of Kuwaiti people towards governmental messages regarding social distancing, staying at home, and self-protection. To fulfil the study’s aim, a quantitative research design was adopted in which data were collected from 746 respondents in Kuwait to examine the effect of perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, health motivation, and cues to action, based on each individual’s behaviour. Data were analysed through AMOS 22.0 and the findings showed that governmental messages on social media should consider the above-mentioned aspects in order to positively impact the behaviour of Kuwaiti individuals.

Acknowledgements

I am extremely grateful to my aunts, Waddhah Salem Alhaimer and Setah Salem Alhaimer, who died from COVID-19 complications; they have always been sources of strength, motivating me to complete this research. May their noble souls rest in peace by the grace of the Almighty. Further, I dedicate this research to all who are suffering or have died from COVID-19 complications.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Rashed Alhaimer

Alhaimer, Rashed: I hold a Ph.D. from Brunel University, London. I currently work as an Assistant Professor at Arab Open University, Kuwait Branch. I am deeply interested in the topics of digital marketing, marketing through social networking sites, social marketing, and entrepreneurship and small projects. I have a number of publications in the relevant areas.