Communicating COVID-19 exposure risk with an interactive website counteracts risk misestimation

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Risk Communication
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Individuals relied on risk information for decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Effective communication of viral exposure risks is crucial for public health goals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess if an interactive website influenced individuals' risk tolerance regarding COVID-19.
• To identify biases in risk estimation and explore factors influencing engagement with risk information.

Main Methods:

• Collected data from 11,169 users of the COVID-19 Event Risk Tool (Sept 2021 - Jan 2022).
• The website included interactive elements like a dynamic risk map, surveys, and a risk quiz with feedback.
• Analyzed user engagement, reported risk tolerance, and risk estimation accuracy.

Main Results:

• Users reported reduced willingness to attend events post-interaction, particularly high-risk large events.
• Identified a risk estimation bias: overestimation of small event risks, underestimation of large event risks.
• Political partisanship influenced tool use and responsiveness to feedback; engagement fluctuated with the Omicron variant.

Conclusions:

• An interactive website is an effective large-scale method for communicating viral exposure risk.
• Findings underscore the need for interventions to correct risk misestimations, even among those seeking information.
• Political affiliation impacts engagement with risk communication tools, necessitating tailored approaches.