A Systematic Literature Review on the Role of Risk Perception and Risk Prevention in the Phases of Risk Communication: Insights from the COVID-19 Pandemic in Southeast Asia

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed gaps in risk communication, particularly in Southeast Asia. Preventive prevention is based on evaluating risk, which determines compliance with the protective measures. As part of the lessons learned from communicating risks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study also looks at how risk communication influenced the population’s actions in Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries. The study aims to explore the role of risk perception in influencing public behavior, assess the effectiveness of communicated prevention strategies, and evaluate the interconnection between risk perception and prevention in enhancing public compliance. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was performed under the guidelines of PRISMA. All the articles published after 2019 and those that appeared in the peer-reviewed journals were analyzed using thematic analysis. Information was collected from the research, and the target was COVID-19 risk perception and prevention of transmission in Southeast countries. Studies demonstrate that risky communication enhances compliance with protective measures. Compliance was controlled by sociocultural and economic factors, and early, severe interventions helped to lower the incidences. However, inadequate information and unequal and conflicting policies acted as barriers. This paper highlights the importance of cultural sensitivity when devising risk communication structures to improve compliance and prevent future pandemics. This paper presents theoretical lessons for policymakers drawn in multicultural environments such as the Southeast region.