How do people get information for COVID-19 according to age groups?

Area of Science:

• Social Network Analysis
• Public Health Communication
• Digital Media Studies

Background:

• Effective dissemination of critical health information, such as that related to COVID-19, is vital for public well-being.
• Understanding how different demographic groups access and share information online is essential for targeted communication strategies.
• Social media platforms like Twitter serve as significant channels for information exchange during public health crises.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age-specific patterns in how individuals obtain COVID-19 information via Twitter.
• To identify differences in key information sources, network structures, and information-sharing domains across various age groups.
• To inform public health strategies by highlighting age-related variations in online information consumption.

Main Methods:

• Application of social network analysis (SNA) techniques to Twitter data.
• Categorization of users into distinct age groups (children, teens, adults, elderly).
• Analysis of network structures, influential nodes (key players), and domain usage for information sharing within each age group.

Main Results:

• Significant age-based differences were observed in key information players: universities/journals for adults, news media for the elderly.
• Network structures varied by age, with teens in smaller, isolated groups and the elderly exhibiting strong inter-group communication.
• Information-sharing domains differed, with twitter.com dominant for children, teens, and the elderly, while cnn.com was primary for adults.

Conclusions:

• Age is a significant factor influencing how individuals engage with COVID-19 information on Twitter.
• Tailored approaches are necessary to reach diverse age groups effectively through social media.
• Public health messaging should consider the unique network characteristics and preferred information sources of different age demographics.