The World Health Organization established that the risk of suffering severe symptoms from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is higher for some groups, but this does not mean their chances of infection are higher. However, public health messages often highlight the "increased risk" for these groups such that the risk could be interpreted as being about contracting an infection rather than suffering severe symptoms from the illness (as intended). Stressing the risk for vulnerable groups may also prompt inferences that individuals not highlighted in the message have lower risk than previously believed. In five studies, we investigated how U.K. residents interpreted such risk messages about COVID-19 (n = 396, n = 399, n = 432, n = 474) and a hypothetical new virus (n = 454). Participants recognized that the risk was about experiencing severe symptoms, but over half also believed that the risk was about infection, and had a corresponding heightened perception that vulnerable people were more likely to be infected. Risk messages that clarified the risk event reduced misinterpretations for a hypothetical new virus, but existing misinterpretations of coronavirus risks were resistant to correction. We discuss the need for greater clarity in public health messaging by distinguishing between the two risk events. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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关于 COVID-19 风险信息的歧义和意外推断。

世界卫生组织确定，某些人群出现冠状病毒病 (COVID-19) 严重症状的风险更高，但这并不意味着他们感染的机会更高。但是，公共卫生信息通常会强调这些群体的“风险增加”，因此可以将风险解释为与感染有关，而不是因疾病而出现严重症状（如预期的那样）。强调弱势群体的风险也可能促使人们推断信息中未突出显示的个人的风险低于之前认为的。在五项研究中，我们调查了英国居民如何解读有关 COVID-19（n = 396、n = 399、n = 432、n = 474）和一种假设的新病毒（n = 454）的此类风险信息。参与者认识到风险与出现严重症状有关，但超过半数的人还认为风险与感染有关，并且相应地更加认为弱势群体更容易被感染。澄清风险事件的风险信息减少了对假设的新病毒的误解，但现有的对冠状病毒风险的误解难以纠正。我们通过区分这两种风险事件来讨论提高公共卫生信息传递清晰度的必要性。（PsycInfo 数据库记录 (c) 2022 APA，保留所有权利）。澄清风险事件的风险信息减少了对假设的新病毒的误解，但现有的对冠状病毒风险的误解难以纠正。我们通过区分这两种风险事件来讨论提高公共卫生信息传递清晰度的必要性。（PsycInfo 数据库记录 (c) 2022 APA，保留所有权利）。澄清风险事件的风险信息减少了对假设的新病毒的误解，但现有的对冠状病毒风险的误解难以纠正。我们通过区分这两种风险事件来讨论提高公共卫生信息传递清晰度的必要性。（PsycInfo 数据库记录 (c) 2022 APA，保留所有权利）。