ABSTRACT
Background and Aims: Many people around the world, especially at the time of the Covid-19 outbreak, are concerned about their e-health data. The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes of patients with Covid-19 toward sharing their health data for research and their concerns about security and privacy. Methods: This survey is a cross-sectional study conducted through an electronic researcher-made questionnaire from February to May 2021. Convenience sampling was applied to select the participants and all 475 patients were referred to two to Afzalipour and Shahid Bahonar hospitals were invited to the study. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 204 patients were included in the study and completed the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, and standard deviation) were used to analyze the questionnaire data. SPSS 23.0 was used for data analysis. Results: Participants tended to share information about "comments provided by individuals on websites" (68.6%), "fitness tracker data" (64.19%), and "online shopping history" (63.21%) before death. Participants also tended to share information about "electronic medical records data" (36.75%), "genetic data" (24.99%), and "Instagram data" (24.99%) after death. "Fraud or misuse of personal information" (4.48 [±1.27]) was the most common concern of participants regarding the virtual world. "Unauthorized access to the account" (4.38 [±0.73]), "violation of the privacy of personal information" (4.26 [±0.85]), and "violation of the patient privacy and personal information confidentially" (4.26 [±0.85]) were the most of the unauthorized security incidents that occurred online for participants. Conclusion: Patients with Covid-19 were concerned about releasing information they shared on websites and social networks. Therefore, people should be made aware of the reliability of websites and social media so that their security and privacy are not affected.
ABSTRACT
Background and Aims: During the COVID-19 pandemic, college students can access health-related information on the Internet to improve preventative behaviors, but they often judge the merits of such information and create challenges in the community. The aim of this study was to investigate information-seeking behaviors in regard to COVID-19 among students at Kerman University of Medical Sciences (KUMS) with the help of mass and social media. Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional study, which was conducted using an online researcher-made questionnaire. An invitation to participate in the study was sent to 500 students at KUMS, of which 203 were selected according to the inclusion criteria and completed the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: COVID-19 news was mostly obtained through social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, radio, and television, as well as online publications and news agencies. Social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, and satellite networks such as BBC contained the most rumors about COVID-19. Some of the most common misconceptions regarding COVID-19 were as follows: "COVID-19 is the deadliest disease in the world," "COVID-19 is a biological attack," and "COVID-19 disappears as the air temperature rises." In addition, most of the virtual training provided through mass media focused on "refraining from visiting holy places and crowded locations such as markets," "observing personal hygiene and refraining from touching the eyes, nose, and mouth with infected hands," and "the role of quarantine in reducing the incidence of COVID-19." Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that during the pandemic, students used social media platforms the most to obtain health-related information and these media have a significant impact on their willingness to engage in preventative behaviors and take the COVID-19 risk seriously.
ABSTRACT
Background and AimsDuring the COVID‐19 pandemic, college students can access health‐related information on the Internet to improve preventative behaviors, but they often judge the merits of such information and create challenges in the community. The aim of this study was to investigate information‐seeking behaviors in regard to COVID‐19 among students at Kerman University of Medical Sciences (KUMS) with the help of mass and social media.MethodsThe present study is a cross‐sectional study, which was conducted using an online researcher‐made questionnaire. An invitation to participate in the study was sent to 500 students at KUMS, of which 203 were selected according to the inclusion criteria and completed the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.ResultsCOVID‐19 news was mostly obtained through social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, radio, and television, as well as online publications and news agencies. Social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, and satellite networks such as BBC contained the most rumors about COVID‐19. Some of the most common misconceptions regarding COVID‐19 were as follows: “COVID‐19 is the deadliest disease in the world,” “COVID‐19 is a biological attack,” and “COVID‐19 disappears as the air temperature rises.” In addition, most of the virtual training provided through mass media focused on “refraining from visiting holy places and crowded locations such as markets,” “observing personal hygiene and refraining from touching the eyes, nose, and mouth with infected hands,” and “the role of quarantine in reducing the incidence of COVID‐19.”ConclusionOur findings demonstrated that during the pandemic, students used social media platforms the most to obtain health‐related information and these media have a significant impact on their willingness to engage in preventative behaviors and take the COVID‐19 risk seriously.