The effect of trust in media and information sources on coronavirus disease 2019 prevention behaviors in Lebanon.

The article investigates how trust in media and information sources during the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the adoption of preventive health measures in Lebanon, a country experiencing severe political and economic crises. Using a nationally representative survey of 792 adults conducted between March and April 2020, the study found that higher trust in media, government, and health officials was directly associated with greater compliance with prevention behaviors, with fear and perceived knowledge partially mediating this relationship. The findings emphasize the critical role of unified, credible health communication in fostering public trust and mitigating pandemics, even amid social and political turmoil. The study also notes that media literacy training modifies these dynamics, with fear having less influence on prevention behaviors among those trained, and highlights gender differences potentially influenced by social desirability bias.