The health belief model : evaluating governmental public health messages on social media aimed at preventing a COVID-19 epidemic in Kuwait

This study aimed to examine the effect of embracing the Health Belief Model (HBM) in governmental public health messages on social media during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Adoption of the HBM seeks to improve the level of response of Kuwaiti people towards governmental messages regarding social distancing, staying at home, and self-protection. To fulfil the study's aim, a quantitative research design was adopted in which data were collected from 746 respondents in Kuwait to examine the effect of perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, health motivation, and cues to action, based on each individual's behaviour. Data were analysed through AMOS 22.0 and the findings showed that governmental messages on social media should consider the above-mentioned aspects in order to positively impact the behaviour of Kuwaiti individuals.