The effect of media use on the intergenerational perception of health risks during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: This research was carried out in order to show the effect of the use of media tools on the risk perception of the society and behaviors, including society’s tendency to get vaccinated in the context of generations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: The research was conducted with mixed method in which quantitative and qualitative research techniques were used together. The “Converging Parallel Mixed Method” was used and the findings obtained from the both methods were combined. For the quantitative part, 469 people were reached with the “purposeful sampling method” and Media Exposure Scale, Risk Perception Scale, The Behavior Scale and The Believability Scale were used. In-depth interviews were conducted for the qualitative part. Results: In the quantitative part of this study, it was found that the most important behavioral difference is that the use of media directly affects vaccination behavior in all generations. It has been also determined that the media use variable doesn’t differ according to age groups, thus all generational groups were found to use media invariably from each other. Conclusion: It is of great significance that the information that both the whole society and individuals over the age of 65, who are in the risk group in terms of Covid-19 contamination and adverse process, need or may need, should be given in the most perspicuous, accurate and current manner in the media.

Keywords

• Explanatory Model
• Health Communication
• Risk Perception
• Stigma
• COVID-19

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