Government Interventions, Risk Perception, and Social Distancing: Longitudinal Meta-Survey Results in South Korea

Abstract

Objectives: Understanding public protective behaviors during pandemics is crucial for effective epidemic control. This study examines the longitudinal relationships between government intervention, risk perception, and adherence to social distancing policy throughout the pandemic (February 2020-December 2022) in South Korea. Method: This study utilized a repeated cross-sectional survey conducted 73 times over a 3-year period (February 2020-December 2022). Each survey included 1,000 participants, resulting in a total sample size of 73,000. Meta-analysis and time series analysis were conducted on the entire data set, focusing on the COVID-19 variants of pre-Delta, Delta, and Omicron. Results: Meta-analysis revealed a positive correlation between adherence to social distancing and risk perception, with the strongest effect observed during the Omicron surge. Time series analysis over the entire period found that government social distancing policies had a stronger effect on adherence to social distancing than physical risk or risk perception, highlighting the long-term impact of government interventions on public behavior. Conclusions: This study quantitatively demonstrates the longitudinal heterogeneity between risk perception and adherence to social distancing and highlights the importance of government interventions, in addition to risk perception, in shaping public behaviors.