Health behaviour model as a tool for strategic communication planning to promote COVID-19-related preventive health behaviour

Within the framework of the project Life with COVID-19: Evaluation of Overcoming the Coronavirus Crisis in Latvia and Recommendations for Societal Resilience in the Future (project No. VPP-COVID-2020/1-0013), a study has been conducted (from August to December, 2020). The aim of the study was to investigate COVID-19-related preventive public health behaviour (COVID PHB), formulate environmental, social, and psychological impact factors of COVID PHB and identify appropriate behaviour change techniques (BCT) to achieve the desired public behaviour. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used in the study: nationally representative sociological surveys online and in-depth interviews (N=30), that were based on the structure of theoretical domains of behavioural analysis by Centre for Behaviour Change (UK). The qualitative study identified an appropriate ontology - Health belief model (HBM) as an evidence-based scheme of the interrelationship of factors that influence behaviour, as well as 46 BCT corresponding to influence factors. The HBM reveals that people PHB is influenced by the perceived barriers, perceived benefits, perceived consequences of behaviour, self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility (PSc) and severity (PSe) of the disease, and socio-demographic factors. The quantitative study shows that PHB is affected by the PSc and PSe the most. Respondents with high scores of these factors are more willing to follow the recommended COVID PHB. The study found that behavioural stimuls are very significant. The triangulation of qualitative and quantitative research data was used by analysing the identified influencing factors of COVID PHB in relation to more than 93 BCT. The study can be used in practice to model future interventions: if policy makers and communication professionals realise which BCT should be used and know which factors exactly affects people's actions, they can develop a strategical communication plan, including new regulations etc. and elaborate ideas on how to frame the messages.