AUTHOR=Clavel Nathalie , Badr Janine , Gautier Lara , Lavoie-Tremblay Mélanie , Paquette Jesseca 

TITLE=Risk Perceptions, Knowledge and Behaviors of General and High-Risk Adult Populations Towards COVID-19: A Systematic Scoping Review

JOURNAL=Public Health Reviews

VOLUME=42

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/public-health-reviews/articles/10.3389/phrs.2021.1603979

DOI=10.3389/phrs.2021.1603979

ISSN=2107-6952

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> The COVID-19 pandemic represents a major crisis for governments and populations. The public’s risk perceptions, knowledge, and behaviors are key factors that play a vital role in the transmission of infectious diseases. Our scoping review aims to map the early evidence on risk perceptions, knowledge, and behaviors of general and high-risk adult populations towards COVID-19.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> A systematic scoping review was conducted of peer-reviewed articles in five databases on studies conducted during the early stages of COVID-19. Thirty-one studies meeting the inclusion criteria were appraised and analyzed.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> The levels of risk perceptions, knowledge, and behaviors towards COVID-19 were moderate to high in both general and high-risk adult populations. Adults were knowledgeable about preventive behaviors. Our review identified hand-washing and avoiding crowded places as dominant preventive behaviors. Being a female, older, more educated, and living in urban areas was associated with better knowledge of COVID-19 and appropriate preventive behaviors.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> This review offers a first understanding of risk perceptions, knowledge and behaviors of adult populations during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>