ABSTRACT Grounded in the multidisciplinary field of strategic risk and health communication, this study proposed and tested a new infectious disease threat (IDT) appraisal model, focused on mapping individuals’ coping strategy preferences as predicted by their perceived predictability and controllability of the disease. A 2 (predictability: high vs. low) × 2 (controllability: high vs. low) within-subjects online experimental design (N = 1,032 U.S. adults) was employed, in which four IDT scenarios (sexually transmitted infection [STI]; waterborne ID; foodborne ID; vector-borne ID) were shown to participants in a counterbalanced fashion, to examine the effects of IDT appraisals on how individuals cope with outbreaks. Results support the hypothesized model, in which assessments of predictability, controllability, and responsibility of an IDT situation drive individuals’ affect valence, information seeking, and conative reactions in passive and active ways. Findings further provide insights into what information seeking strategies and IDT coping behaviors individuals prefer based on their differential IDT appraisals, thus suggesting how public health authorities and risk communication professionals can optimally communicate about infectious diseases to help individuals understand these situations and respond appropriately.

中文翻译：

---

传染病威胁（IDT）评估模型：对IDT可预测性和可控性的感知如何预测个人对风险的反应

摘要本研究基于战略风险与健康沟通的多学科领域，提出并测试了一种新的传染病威胁（IDT）评估模型，重点在于根据个人对疾病的可预测性和可控性来预测个人的应对策略偏好。采用受试者内部在线实验设计2（可预测性：高与低）×2（可控制性：高与低），其中四个IDT情景（性传播感染[STI]；水性ID，食源ID，媒介传播ID）以平衡的方式向参与者展示，以检查IDT评估对个体应对疾病爆发的影响。结果支持假设的模型，其中评估了可预测性，可控制性，IDT情境的责任和责任以被动和主动的方式驱动个人的效价，信息搜寻和顺应性反应。调查结果进一步提供了基于个人不同的IDT评估，个人更喜欢哪种信息搜索策略和IDT应对行为的见解，从而建议公共卫生当局和风险沟通专家如何最佳地传播传染病，以帮助个人了解这些情况并做出适当反应。