Citation

Razali, Raja Razana and Ahmad, Mokhtarrudin and Balakrishnan, Kavitha and Chan, Tak Jie (2026) Relationship between perceived health messages and source credibility on trust during health crisis: Malaysian perspective. Journal of Asian Scientific Research, 16 (2). pp. 377-388. ISSN 2226-5724

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Abstract

Trust in government is crucial for shaping public behavior during health crises. The level of confidence can decline if health messages are ambiguous, confusing, lack transparency, or originate from an unreliable source. In changing and shaping public behavior when it comes to health crises, trust is an incumbent agent. This study gathered empirical data on the influence of perceived health messages on public trust in the Malaysian government. Employing the Elaboration Likelihood Model enabled an investigation into the persuasion process of online health messages with a specific focus on the impact of source credibility on public trust. The quantitative method was used to collect 384 samples from an online survey through Google Forms. PLS-SEM analysis revealed a substantial amount of the variance in trust (p <0.05; R² = 0.545). revealed that the health communication messages by the Malaysian government through online platforms were viewed as clear, consistent and transparent. The respondents indicated a favorable perception of the government spokesperson, whom they viewed as a person of integrity, competence, a positive media outlook, and trustworthy. The majority of respondents also expressed a high level of trust in the Malaysian government. The findings provided insights into government and public health authorities, emphasizing the importance of relaying clear, consistent, and transparent messages. The study recommends that the Malaysian government ensure health messages are clear and transparent to combat misinformation and promote accurate public health data, thereby enhancing public trust.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Elaboration likelihood model, health crisis communication
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28-70 Management. Industrial Management > HD62.2-62.8 Management of special enterprises
Divisions:	Faculty of Applied Communication (FAC)
Depositing User:	Ms Rosnani Abd Wahab
Date Deposited:	01 Jul 2026 08:02
Last Modified:	01 Jul 2026 08:02
URII:	http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/id/eprint/16186

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