Platform compliance governance in digital public health communication: effects of emergency health knowledge dissemination on protective behaviors

Background Digital health information platforms have become important channels for public health science communication and emergency prevention knowledge. However, uncertainty about content accuracy, information disclosure, privacy protection, and communication behavior may weaken public trust and reduce the conversion of health knowledge into protective behavior. Methods Based on protection motivation theory and information adoption theory, this study constructed and tested a model linking public perceived compliance, knowledge absorption willingness, and health protective behaviors. Survey data were used to examine the associations between four dimensions of perceived compliance and health protective behaviors, as well as the mediating role of knowledge absorption willingness. Results Perceived content compliance, information disclosure compliance, privacy protection compliance, and communication behavior compliance were positively associated with knowledge absorption willingness. Knowledge absorption willingness was positively associated with health protective behaviors and fully mediated the relationship between the four dimensions of perceived compliance and health protective behaviors. Conclusion Platform compliance governance can support digital public health communication by strengthening users’ willingness to absorb health knowledge and convert it into protective behavior. The findings provide policy implications for health information quality control, privacy protection, and coordinated regulation in public health emergency knowledge dissemination.