Public Health and Risk Communication During COVID-19—Enhancing Psychological Needs to Promote Sustainable Behavior Change

The authors applied the “Self-Determination Theory” and related concepts to understand human behavior and motivation and design messaging and guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Five guidelines for public health and risk communications were proposed by the authors (e.g., encourage a culture of autonomy in healthcare, provide choice, and create solidarity) to help create effective messaging that can be used during pandemics.