Risk Perception, Self-efficacy, Lay Theories of Health, and Engagement in Health-Protective Behaviors Among Hospital Pharmacists During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Zhang, Ning; Yang, Hongyu; Hong, Dongsheng; Huang, Xin; Wang, Linrun

BACKGROUND: Risk perception is an important predictor of health-protective behaviors during pandemics. However, the underlying mechanism connecting risk perception and health-protective behaviors is not well understood. The current study investigates how risk perception predicts hospital pharmacists’ engagement in health-protective behaviors during the peak period of COVID-19 pandemic in China and the mediating effects of lay theories of health and self-efficacy. METHOD: A cross-sectional study on risk perception and engagement in health-protective behaviors was conducted among hospital pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. A total of 4121 hospital pharmacists completed the study. RESULTS: Risk perception, self-efficacy, and lay theories of health were significant predictors of health-protective behaviors among pharmacists. Lay (entity) theories of health and self-efficacy mediated the relationship between risk perception and engagement in health-protective behaviors among hospital pharmacists. CONCLUSION: Risk perception, self-efficacy, and lay theories (entity versus incremental) of health significantly predicted hospital pharmacists’ engagement in health-protective behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12529-021-10004-2.