Association of Trust in COVID-19 Information Providers and Media With 3Cs Avoidance and Infection Anxiety Among Residents in Tokyo and Osaka

We investigated the association between frequenting 3Cs (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings) and trust in information on COVID-19, to elucidate information sources affecting public preventive measures. Nonprobability quota sampling was used to recruit 2000 residents of Tokyo and 2000 from Osaka. The retrospective survey was conducted in April 2024. These participants responded to an online survey about two periods, with and without an emergency declaration. Multiple regression analyses were performed and standardized partial regression coefficients for the independent variables calculated. Without an emergency declaration, a negative association between frequenting 3Cs and trust in family/relatives and a positive association with daily conversation were observed. 3Cs anxiety was positively associated with trust in three sources: medical professionals, family/relatives, or television (TV). During the emergency declaration period, a negative association between frequenting 3Cs and trust and a positive association between 3Cs anxiety and trust in the three sources above were observed, while there was a positive association between frequenting 3Cs and trust in celebrities, weekly magazines, or social networking services. A mediation analysis showed that trust in medical professionals, family/relatives, or TV increased 3Cs anxiety, and frequenting 3Cs decreased in state of emergency situations.