Perception and Use of COVID Contact Tracing Mobile Applications in New York State (NYS).

The study explores the use of COVID-19 related apps for contact tracing deployed in New York State (NYS). The project seeks to understand potential differences in perception, adoption, or privacy concerns among racial and ethnic populations and across age groups. Using the Antecedent-Privacy Concerns-Outcomes (APCO) framework and the perceived usefulness construct, this study explores factors influencing the individual level adoption of these apps. Data collected from 120 Amazon Mechanical Turkers located in NYS was analyzed. The results indicate that race and gender are important factors to consider in expanding the Antecedent-Privacy Concerns-Outcomes (APCO) framework. Specifically, race impacted the perception of the seriousness of the pandemic, with Asians and Black being serious about the pandemic. Age played a role in privacy and security concerns. The youngest group of respondents, aged 18-24, did not have many privacy and security concerns about mobile apps. These results provided empirical results and evidence that can contribute to the expansion of the APCO model and help further the model's development.

Socially vulnerable populations adoption of technology to address lifestyle changes amid COVID-19 in the US.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has changed every facet of our lives overnight and has resulted in many challenges and opportunities. Utilizing the Lens of Vulnerability we investigate how disparities in technology adoption affect activities of daily living. In this paper, we analyze the existing literature and case studies regarding how the lifestyles of socially vulnerable populations have changed during the pandemic in terms of technology adoption. Socially vulnerable populations, such as racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, older adults, children, and the socially isolated, are specifically addressed because they are groups of people who have been significantly and disproportionately affected by the pandemic. This paper emphasizes that despite seeing changes in and research on technology adoption across healthcare, employment, and education, the impact of COVID-19 in government and social services and activities of daily living is underdeveloped. The study concludes by offering practical and academic recommendations and future research directions. Lessons learned from the current pandemic and an understanding of the differential technology adoption for activities of daily living amid a disaster will help emergency managers, academics, and government officals prepare for and respond to future crises.

The coronavirus pandemic: Accessible technology for education, employment, and livelihoods.

During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, the use of technology to continue societal functions, maintain daily living, and gather information became near ubiquitous overnight. In the United States, universities moved to remote online education, non-essential personnel were asked to work from home, many businesses were forced to rapidly embrace online purchasing and even entertainers held concerts on social media platforms. Professional medical personnel, as well as state and local officials, held daily press briefings about the virus on television, radio, and social media. Disaster research has shown that often disasters exacerbate preexisting inequalities during all-hazards and therefore there are several populations likely to be more at risk, such as people with disabilities, and older adults. While complications from the coronavirus were more severe for older adults and those with preexisting health conditions, the preparedness and response efforts to contain the virus lessened the resiliency of other populations during the US outbreaks, potentially hampering their ability to recover at the same rate. For example, several press conferences from officials failed to include or display ASL interpreters. This would put some Americans at a disadvantage since they may have been unable to receive all of the pertinent information on how to keep safe. Furthermore, with nearly 22% of households without broadband internet access (per Pew Research Center), several individuals will not be able to take advantage of the rapid remote learning and work-from-home recommendations. Even when individuals have access to the Internet, older adults have been found to be less knowledgeable about privacy and security tools than younger adults.

Longitudinal Risk Communication: A Research Agenda for Communicating in a Pandemic.

In this paper, we present a research agenda for longitudinal risk communication during a global pandemic. Starting from an understanding that traditional approaches to risk communication for epidemics, crises, and disasters have focused on short-duration events, we acknowledge the limitations of existing theories, frameworks, and models for both research and practice in a rapidly changing communication environment. We draw from scholarship in communication, sociology, anthropology, public health, emergency management, law, and technology to identify research questions that are fundamental to the communication challenges that have emerged under the threat of COVID-19. We pose a series of questions focused around 5 topics, then offer a catalog of prior research to serve as points of departure for future research efforts. This compiled agenda offers guidance to scholars engaging in practitioner-informed research and provides risk communicators with a set of substantial research questions to guide future knowledge needs.