Abstract |
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by an unprecedented infodemic. Infodemic is increasingly being recognized as a key global public health challenge. Older people are more susceptible to COVID-19 and to misinformation, with World Health Organization indicating the need for research on how people process and manage information in physical and digital environments to better understand how this phenomenon affects individuals. Methods: A qualitative study was developed in to explore the infodemic impact among 21 people, aged 60-75y, users of social services in the Heraklion Region Unit. Semi-interviews were used to explore the infodemic impact. Thematic analysis was performed. Results: Low trust levels for information delivered online and offline through information ecosystem. Physicians remain the most trusted and preferred source of information, yet participants questioned their expertise level and role given the various issues emerging during pandemic. Most of them report poor quality, incomplete information and point out the misleading role of media pluralism and ease of access and dissemination of information in the public sphere. Key topics of concern was COVID-19 vaccines and the majority strongly believes that coronavirus is of lab origin, as they have read on the Internet. Many of them also suffer from “pandemic fatique”, i.e., information overload and information avoidance. Fear about their vulnerability was the major factor mentioned regarding scientific evidence. Information bombardment was mentioned with negative psychological and well-being impact, stated that they doubted the practices they followed whether they were correct and safe. Nevertheless, they all believe they make the best choices on how to protect their health, whilst having mixed feelings about the manner and content of communication received both in physical and digital environments. Conclusions: The elderly, although young in the digital world, seemed to be searching for information on the internet while expressing greater confidence in information, in printed forms. Information should deliver among them in popular and simple way from reliable sources, in an appropriate form and customized content.
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