CAN MOBILIZING THE “MODIFIED HEALTH BELIEF MODEL” IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION LEAD TO BEHAVIOR CHANGE DURING COVID-19 ? ANALYSIS OF THE CAMEROONIAN EXPERIENCE

Abstract

This article analyzes how taking into account trust in the “Health Belief Model” (HBM) could induce the adoption of recommended health behaviors. It envisages an application of the HBM to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in Cameroon. The results show that all the postulated relationships between persuasive communication and the HBM variables and those between these variables and the prevention behavior are verified; and trust plays a moderating role on these relationships. The originality of this research lies in taking into account the variables rarely integrated into the HBM and trust.