Research Article

Fearing coronavirus: the role of digital health news consumption and competence

Volume: 11 Number: 2 December 29, 2020
TR EN

Fearing coronavirus: the role of digital health news consumption and competence

Abstract

The coronavirus (also referred as COVID-19 or coronavirus disease 2019) has become one of the major global health concerns around the world, as the geographies effected by the virus increases, as a result of social mobilities. The digital media outlets such as news platforms and online social networks play a key role in terms of informing the online audiences by raising awareness regarding the disease, while sometimes the opposite can be the case due to contents triggering societal panic at global level. The current study aims to explore potential relationships between digital literacy, digital health news consumption, and the fear of coronavirus, by applying a quantitative research perspective. A total of 587 respondents were reached online via the pilot-tested survey instrument. Following the removal of missing submissions, 467 participants remained. It is concluded that digital competency has a positive relationship with digital health news consumption, which means as digital literacy increases, the frequency of digital health news consumption practices rises up in return. Another important finding is related to fear felt towards coronavirus, as findings also indicate as the level of digital health news consumption increases, the fear felt towards coronavirus also escalates. This finding indicates the essentiality of providing accurate news for the Internet audiences, that raises awareness rather than triggering social anxiety and panic.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Communication and Media Studies

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Publication Date

December 29, 2020

Submission Date

August 5, 2020

Acceptance Date

December 17, 2020

Published in Issue

Year 2020 Volume: 11 Number: 2

APA
Gorgulu, V. (2020). Fearing coronavirus: the role of digital health news consumption and competence. Journal of Internet Applications and Management, 11(2), 101-112. https://doi.org/10.34231/iuyd.777356
AMA
1.Gorgulu V. Fearing coronavirus: the role of digital health news consumption and competence. iuyd. 2020;11(2):101-112. doi:10.34231/iuyd.777356
Chicago
Gorgulu, Vehbi. 2020. “Fearing Coronavirus: The Role of Digital Health News Consumption and Competence”. Journal of Internet Applications and Management 11 (2): 101-12. https://doi.org/10.34231/iuyd.777356.
EndNote
Gorgulu V (December 1, 2020) Fearing coronavirus: the role of digital health news consumption and competence. Journal of Internet Applications and Management 11 2 101–112.
IEEE
[1]V. Gorgulu, “Fearing coronavirus: the role of digital health news consumption and competence”, iuyd, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 101–112, Dec. 2020, doi: 10.34231/iuyd.777356.
ISNAD
Gorgulu, Vehbi. “Fearing Coronavirus: The Role of Digital Health News Consumption and Competence”. Journal of Internet Applications and Management 11/2 (December 1, 2020): 101-112. https://doi.org/10.34231/iuyd.777356.
JAMA
1.Gorgulu V. Fearing coronavirus: the role of digital health news consumption and competence. iuyd. 2020;11:101–112.
MLA
Gorgulu, Vehbi. “Fearing Coronavirus: The Role of Digital Health News Consumption and Competence”. Journal of Internet Applications and Management, vol. 11, no. 2, Dec. 2020, pp. 101-12, doi:10.34231/iuyd.777356.
Vancouver
1.Vehbi Gorgulu. Fearing coronavirus: the role of digital health news consumption and competence. iuyd. 2020 Dec. 1;11(2):101-12. doi:10.34231/iuyd.777356

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