Preferred Information Source Correlates to COVID-19 Risk Misperception

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Communication
• Risk Perception

Background:

• Inaccurate perceptions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk can reduce adherence to public health measures.
• The relationship between preferred information sources and the accuracy of COVID-19 risk perception is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• This study investigates how preferred sources of health information relate to inaccurate perceptions of COVID-19 risk among adults in the United States.
• The research aims to identify specific information sources associated with significant discrepancies between perceived and objective risk.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with a representative sample of 1,785 health care workers (HCW) and 4,843 non-HCW in the U.S.
• Subjective risk was calculated based on perceived likelihood and harm of infection, while objective risk considered known COVID-19 risk factors.
• Statistical analyses, including Chi Square contingency tables and pair-wise correlation, were used to compare risk discrepancies across different preferred information sources.

Main Results:

• Individuals preferring social media as their primary information source showed the greatest overestimation of personal COVID-19 risk (HCW: 62.1%; non-HCW: 64.5%).
• Internet news sources were associated with the second-highest overestimation (HCW: 59.6%; non-HCW: 59.1%), followed by government websites, other sources, and television news.
• Significant differences in risk overestimation were observed across preferred information sources for both HCW and non-HCW (p < .05).

Conclusions:

• Preferred sources of information are significantly correlated with inaccuracies in personal COVID-19 risk assessment.
• Public health communication strategies should consider tailoring messages to audiences based on their preferred information channels to address risk perception inaccuracies.
• Targeting individuals who rely on social media and internet news for information may be crucial for improving adherence to public health guidelines.