COVID-19 Risk Perception and its Related Factors and Outcomes in Vulnerable Groups: A Systematic Review

Background: The COVID-19 disease has worse outcomes in individuals with underlying diseases and elderly individuals. Therefore, identifying COVID-19 risk perception and its related factors and outcomes in vulnerable groups is essential for the health system. Objectives: This study aimed to determine COVID-19 risk perception, its related factors, and outcomes in vulnerable groups (individuals with underlying diseases, smokers, opioid addicts, the elderly, and pregnant women). Methods: This systematic review was conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The search was carried out using the keywords “Risk perception” and “COVID-19” in PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, SID, Proquest, and Magiran databases in the period from 2019 to July 3, 2021. The quality of selected studies was checked by two authors independently according to Newcastle-Ottawa Scale adapted for cross-sectional. Results : In the initial search, 640 articles were found, of which 56 remained in the screening phase. Then, the full text of 56 articles was studied. Eventually, based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the articles, 8 articles were reviewed. This systematic review showed that suffering from an underlying disease, more anxiety, younger age, and female gender are associated with higher COVID-19 risk perception. The outcomes of COVID-19 risk perception were higher COVID-19 risk perception, delayed treatment sessions, increased anxiety and fear, increased ineffective safety behaviors, and greater compliance with health protocols. Conclusion: Creating sensitivity and proper COVID-19 risk perception is necessary to follow health protocols, but high COVID-19 risk perception can endanger vulnerable groups’ mental and physical health. Besides, reducing the sensitivity of vulnerable groups toward COVID-19 can expose them to the disease.