Academic Journal
Προβολή σε EDS

The role of personal experience, contemptuous beliefs and accountability after the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: a mixed methods study.

Λεπτομέρειες βιβλιογραφικής εγγραφής
Τίτλος: The role of personal experience, contemptuous beliefs and accountability after the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: a mixed methods study.
Συγγραφείς: Dau PH; Heisenberg Chair for Medical Risk Literacy & Evidence-Based Decisions, Clinic for Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: paula.dau@charite.de., Giese H; Heisenberg Chair for Medical Risk Literacy & Evidence-Based Decisions, Clinic for Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany., Rumpel M; Heisenberg Chair for Medical Risk Literacy & Evidence-Based Decisions, Clinic for Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany., Hertwig R; Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany., Wegwarth O; Heisenberg Chair for Medical Risk Literacy & Evidence-Based Decisions, Clinic for Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.
Πηγή: Health policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands) [Health Policy] 2026 Oct; Vol. 172, pp. 105709. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jul 17.
Τύπος έκδοσης: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Γλώσσα: English
Στοιχεία περιοδικού: Publisher: Elsevier Scientific Publishers Country of Publication: Ireland NLM ID: 8409431 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1872-6054 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 01688510 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Health Policy Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: Limerick : Elsevier Scientific Publishers
Original Publication: Amsterdam : Elsevier, 1984-
Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): COVID-19*/prevention & control , COVID-19*/epidemiology , COVID-19*/psychology , Social Responsibility*, Germany/epidemiology ; Humans ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Adult ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Pandemics ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Aged ; Young Adult
Περίληψη: Background: Acceptance of containment measures during a pandemic depends not only on perceived effectiveness but also on personal experience, individual beliefs, and transparent public health communication.
Objective: To assess the perceived usefulness of 15 non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to contain the spread of COVID-19, the association with personal experience, temporal perspective, individual beliefs, and public demands for accountability for politicians and scientists.
Methods: In a cross-sectional online survey, 5116 adults in Germany rated the perceived usefulness of 15 pandemic NPIs across 3 points in time (temporal change). COVID-19-related experiences and agreement with eight contemptuous beliefs about pandemic management were assessed. Associations between temporal change, contemptuous beliefs, personal experience, and perceived usefulness of NPIs were investigated. Open questions were analysed using inductive content analysis.
Results: Perceived usefulness of NPIs varied, with indoor mask mandates evaluated as most useful and nightly curfews as least. Temporal perspectives and personal experiences with COVID-19 infection or with Long-Covid showed small effects. Vaccination yielded the strongest group differences: vaccinated individuals rated the NPIs more useful than unvaccinated participants. Low perceived usefulness of NPIs was associated with stronger endorsement of contemptuous beliefs. Nearly half of participants supported accountability demands, primarily for politicians.
Conclusion: Evaluations of NPIs were strongly shaped by personal experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic, especially vaccination status. Perceptions that NPIs were useless or that rationales were not communicated transparently were strongly associated with negative evaluations and higher contempt. To sustain trust and compliance in future crises, policymakers should engage early with public concerns while acknowledging uncertainty.
(Copyright © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Accountability; COVID-19 pandemic; Experiences; Pandemic preparedness; Public health communication
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260723 Date Completed: 20260807 Latest Revision: 20260818
Update Code: 20260819
DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2026.105709
PMID: 42492424
Βάση Δεδομένων: MEDLINE
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2026.105709?
    Name: ScienceDirect (all content) (s7799221)
    Category: fullText
    Text: View record from ScienceDirect
    MouseOverText: View record from ScienceDirect
  – Url: https://resolver.ebsco.com/c/fiv2js/result?sid=EBSCO:cmedm&genre=article&issn=18726054&ISBN=&volume=172&issue=&date=20261001&spage=105709&pages=105709&title=Health policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands)&atitle=The%20role%20of%20personal%20experience%2C%20contemptuous%20beliefs%20and%20accountability%20after%20the%20COVID-19%20pandemic%20in%20Germany%3A%20a%20mixed%20methods%20study.&aulast=Dau%20PH&id=DOI:10.1016/j.healthpol.2026.105709
    Name: Full Text Finder (for New FTF UI) (ns324271)
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text Finder
    MouseOverText: Full Text Finder
Header DbId: cmedm
DbLabel: MEDLINE
An: 42492424
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The role of personal experience, contemptuous beliefs and accountability after the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: a mixed methods study.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Dau+PH%22">Dau PH</searchLink>; Heisenberg Chair for Medical Risk Literacy & Evidence-Based Decisions, Clinic for Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: paula.dau@charite.de.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Giese+H%22">Giese H</searchLink>; Heisenberg Chair for Medical Risk Literacy & Evidence-Based Decisions, Clinic for Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Rumpel+M%22">Rumpel M</searchLink>; Heisenberg Chair for Medical Risk Literacy & Evidence-Based Decisions, Clinic for Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Hertwig+R%22">Hertwig R</searchLink>; Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Wegwarth+O%22">Wegwarth O</searchLink>; Heisenberg Chair for Medical Risk Literacy & Evidence-Based Decisions, Clinic for Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%228409431%22">Health policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands)</searchLink> [Health Policy] 2026 Oct; Vol. 172, pp. 105709. <i>Date of Electronic Publication: </i>2026 Jul 17.
– Name: TypePub
  Label: Publication Type
  Group: TypPub
  Data: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Journal Info
  Group: Src
  Data: <i>Publisher: </i><searchLink fieldCode="PB" term="%22Elsevier+Scientific+Publishers%22">Elsevier Scientific Publishers </searchLink><i>Country of Publication: </i>Ireland <i>NLM ID: </i>8409431 <i>Publication Model: </i>Print-Electronic <i>Cited Medium: </i>Internet <i>ISSN: </i>1872-6054 (Electronic) <i>Linking ISSN: </i><searchLink fieldCode="IS" term="%2201688510%22">01688510 </searchLink><i>NLM ISO Abbreviation: </i>Health Policy <i>Subsets: </i>MEDLINE
– Name: PublisherInfo
  Label: Imprint Name(s)
  Group: PubInfo
  Data: <i>Publication</i>: Limerick : Elsevier Scientific Publishers<br /><i>Original Publication</i>: Amsterdam : Elsevier, 1984-
– Name: SubjectMESH
  Label: MeSH Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22COVID-19+prevention+%26+control%22">prevention & control</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22COVID-19+epidemiology%22">epidemiology</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22COVID-19+psychology%22">psychology</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Social+Responsibility%22">Social Responsibility*</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Germany%22">Germany</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Germany+epidemiology%22">epidemiology</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Humans%22">Humans</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Cross-Sectional+Studies%22">Cross-Sectional Studies</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Female%22">Female</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Adult%22">Adult</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Male%22">Male</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Middle+Aged%22">Middle Aged</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Surveys+and+Questionnaires%22">Surveys and Questionnaires</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22SARS-CoV-2%22">SARS-CoV-2</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Aged%22">Aged</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Young+Adult%22">Young Adult</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: Acceptance of containment measures during a pandemic depends not only on perceived effectiveness but also on personal experience, individual beliefs, and transparent public health communication.<br />Objective: To assess the perceived usefulness of 15 non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to contain the spread of COVID-19, the association with personal experience, temporal perspective, individual beliefs, and public demands for accountability for politicians and scientists.<br />Methods: In a cross-sectional online survey, 5116 adults in Germany rated the perceived usefulness of 15 pandemic NPIs across 3 points in time (temporal change). COVID-19-related experiences and agreement with eight contemptuous beliefs about pandemic management were assessed. Associations between temporal change, contemptuous beliefs, personal experience, and perceived usefulness of NPIs were investigated. Open questions were analysed using inductive content analysis.<br />Results: Perceived usefulness of NPIs varied, with indoor mask mandates evaluated as most useful and nightly curfews as least. Temporal perspectives and personal experiences with COVID-19 infection or with Long-Covid showed small effects. Vaccination yielded the strongest group differences: vaccinated individuals rated the NPIs more useful than unvaccinated participants. Low perceived usefulness of NPIs was associated with stronger endorsement of contemptuous beliefs. Nearly half of participants supported accountability demands, primarily for politicians.<br />Conclusion: Evaluations of NPIs were strongly shaped by personal experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic, especially vaccination status. Perceptions that NPIs were useless or that rationales were not communicated transparently were strongly associated with negative evaluations and higher contempt. To sustain trust and compliance in future crises, policymakers should engage early with public concerns while acknowledging uncertainty.<br /> (Copyright © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Competing Interests
  Group: Ab
  Data: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests.
– Name: SubjectMinor
  Label: Contributed Indexing
  Group:
  Data: <i>Keywords: </i>Accountability; COVID-19 pandemic; Experiences; Pandemic preparedness; Public health communication
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date(s)
  Group: Date
  Data: <i>Date Created: </i>20260723 <i>Date Completed: </i>20260807 <i>Latest Revision: </i>20260818
– Name: DateUpdate
  Label: Update Code
  Group: Date
  Data: 20260819
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2026.105709
– Name: AN
  Label: PMID
  Group: ID
  Data: 42492424
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=cmedm&AN=42492424
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2026.105709
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        StartPage: 105709
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Germany epidemiology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Humans
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cross-Sectional Studies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Female
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adult
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Male
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Middle Aged
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Surveys and Questionnaires
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: SARS-CoV-2
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Aged
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Young Adult
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19 prevention & control
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19 epidemiology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19 psychology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Responsibility
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The role of personal experience, contemptuous beliefs and accountability after the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: a mixed methods study.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Dau PH
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Giese H
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rumpel M
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hertwig R
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wegwarth O
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 10
              Text: 2026 Oct
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1872-6054
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 172
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Health policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
              Type: main
ResultId 1