Attitude and Practices of self-medication among the students of Sialkot Medical College, Sialkot

Background: During covid-19 period not only general public was victim of anxiety besides all medical professional also face anxiety and change their Information seeking behaviour according their personality. Curiosity is in human nature with the easy access to internet the new horizon to information has been opened. People searching trends have shown that they are interested in health risk to health treatment for their health related problems. Aim(s): In this study examined the influences of anxiety (ISA) and Personality traits (PT) on health information seeking behaviour (HISB) among the Doctor, paraprofessional and final year medical students who are frontline worker during pandemic situation. Methodology: The study adopted survey method with non-probability convenience sampling to collect statistical. Questionnaires werefiled from 313 participants by utilizing convenient sampling and analyzing the data through SPSS. Result(s): The result showed that significant relation between personality traits, information seeking anxiety and health information seeking behaviour. In medical library user PT has significant impact on HISB (p<.05), (AVG_PT=.002) and ISA has impact on HISB but it is not significant in medical professional (beta -.070) value shows ISA has negative impact on HISB. Practical implication: This study will be beneficial for information professionals, health care workers, policy makers and administrators to access of information resources in hybrid format. Conclusion(s): Medical professional's plays an important role in our society. They work hard and served the nation during pandemic situation. Anxiety is natural phenomena to every person. So medical professional also feel anxietybut the medical profession demands its professionals to stay cool, calm and free of anxiety by having analytical and cognitive skills, in order to fulfill the needs of their profession. This research helps to understand that ISA has no significant impact on HISB while PT has significant impact on HISB.Copyright © 2023 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.

The Coronavirus Health Crisis, Social Media, and Online Health Information Seeking Behaviour of Older Adults in Nigeria

Older adults or the elderly are part of the group of peeople that make up a majority of the health burdens in society, and the outbreak of coronavirus or COVID - 19 has further placed them in a risky position due to their age. Going by the latter statement, the research examines the impact of social media on this population's online health information-seeking behaviour in the face of the global coronavirus health crisis in Nigeria. The study employed Krejcie and Morgan's (1970) technique for ascertaining the sample size for a given population, and arrived at a sample of 384 quantitatively surveyed through a questionnaire. The study concluded that social media positively impacted the health behaviour of the research population, and the information sought on social media is reliable, and it also influenced their behaviour positively. However, the authors warn that online health information seekers, especially older adults, should always exercise caution as not all information obtained on social media on various health issues, including the coronavirus, is accurate. Besides, consumers of online health information should be thorough and active users of social media;they should use their human senses to discern between false and true health information. Further, they should also verify such information with health professionals if the need arises. Given the limitations enumerated in this study, the authors suggest that further studies are essential to validate the results of this research.

Traditional Media at the Beginning of the Unknown: Managing Health Uncertainty through TV News Programs in Turkey

The purpose of this research is to find how TV news programs, as part of traditional media source, supply the needs of public within the uncertainty management theory and information-seeking scope during the initial phase of COVID-19 pandemic. A thematic analysis of first four streaming of each TV news programs with the first four highest ratings between March 18th and May 1th 2020 in Turkey was chosen for this study. This period was chosen because it was the first peak of the pandemic in Turkey when people felt uncertain and needed more information about their health. The results have shown that the uncertainty and information gaps have also been reflected in TV programs including the information provided by the experts. This study also reveals that in cases which concern public health, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional media continues to play a significant role in meeting the information needs of the society, and that the traditional media also uses social media's speed in conveying information. We suggest that future studies may focus on the interaction of traditional media and social media in meeting information-seeking behaviours and managing uncertainty to acquire more data.

Public information needs and preferences on COVID-19: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Right from the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic the general public faced the challenge to find reliable and understandable information in the overwhelming flood of information. To enhance informed decision-making, evidence-based information should be provided. Aim was to explore the general public's information needs and preferences on COVID-19 as well as the barriers to accessing evidence-based information. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study. Nine hundred twenty-seven panel members were invited to an online survey (12/2020-02/2021). The HeReCa-online-panel is installed at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg to assess regularly the general public's view on health issues in five regions in Germany. The survey was set up in LimeSurvey, with nine items, multiple-choice and open-ended questions that allowed to gather qualitative data. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively and a content analysis was carried out to categorise the qualitative data. RESULTS: Six hundred thirty-six panel members provided data; mean age 52 years, 56.2% female, and 64.9% with higher education qualifications. Asked about relevant topics related to COVID-19, most participants selected vaccination (63.8%), infection control (52%), and long-term effects (47.8%). The following 11 categories were derived from the qualitative analysis representing the topics of interest: vaccination, infection control, long-term effects, therapies, test methods, mental health, symptoms, structures for pandemic control, infrastructure in health care, research. Participants preferred traditional media (TV 70.6%; radio 58.5%; newspaper 32.7%) to social media, but also used the internet as sources of information, becoming aware of new information on websites (28.5%) or via email/newsletter (20.1%). The knowledge question (Which European country is most affected by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic?) was correctly answered by 7.5% of participants. The Robert Koch Institute (93.7%) and the World Health Organization (78%) were well known, while other organisations providing health information were rarely known (< 10%). Barriers to accessing trustworthy information were lack of time (30.7%), little experience (23.1%), uncertainty about how to get access (22.2%), complexity and difficulties in understanding (23.9%), and a lack of target group orientation (15,3%). CONCLUSIONS: There are extensive information needs regarding various aspects on COVID-19 among the general population. In addition, target-specific dissemination strategies are still needed to reach different groups.

Digital Health Literacy and Information-Seeking in the Era of COVID-19: Gender Differences Emerged from a Florentine University Experience.

Gender appears to be a strong predictor of online health information-seeking behaviour (OHISB), which is related to Digital Health Literacy (DHL). Gender differences in OHISB have been studied in different countries with different results, but no studies have investigated gender-specific OHISB among University students during the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to investigate any gender differences in OHISB in the period between the first and second waves of the pandemic in Italian university students. A questionnaire developed by the global COVID-HL network, including existing and adapted validated scales and self-developed scales, was administered to 2996 University students in Florence. Gender differences were tested using the χ2 test or the Mann-Whitney U test. Male students reported a higher score in DHL than females (p < 0.001). However, female students seek COVID-19 information more often on different sources (for themselves and other people), on various topics, consider various aspects of information quality to be "very important'' (p < 0.05) and are more likely to be "often dissatisfied'' or "partly satisfied'' with information (p < 0.001). Our study confirmed gender as an important dimension to explain students' OHISB differences, which could help institutions promote gender-specific education programmes and provide gender-oriented health information.

COVID-19 and Dr. Google: Parents' changing experience using online health information about their children's health during the pandemic.

AIMS: To identify how the COVID-19 pandemic influences parents' use of the internet, including social media, when seeking health-related information about the pandemic relevant to their children. METHODS: This study employed semi-structured interviews to explore the factors affecting parents of young children when information-seeking online about their children's health related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents of children with and without chronic health conditions were interviewed in July and August 2020. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, then analysed using theoretical thematic analysis, based on Social Cognitive Theory. RESULTS: Through interviews with 13 parents, we identified a myriad of factors that affected parents' internet searching. The decision to access online health information and the regulation of its usage was multifaceted and relied upon the interactions between environmental triggers and parents' information needs, personal attitudes, and circumstances. Overall, parents felt supported by online health information during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the majority were confident in their ability to navigate the plethora of online health information. However, parents of children with chronic conditions had unmet information needs in relation to COVID-19 and their children's condition. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding parents' attitudes and behaviours when seeking online health information that is relevant to their children during a global pandemic can inform the optimisation of online health content delivery to parents.

COVID-digital health literacy and subjective well-being of students in Ghana: Mediation-moderation analyses.

Background: Previous research has established a strong association between COVID-19 digital health literacy (DHL) and subjective well-being among several populations, including students. With the growing misinformation and heightened fear of COVID-19 among persons with an underlying medical condition, several scholars have questioned the direct relationship between DHL and well-being. This study assessed the moderating roles of information accuracy concerns and the existence of an underlying medical condition among students. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, a multi-stage sampling approach was used to select 1392 students from senior high schools in Northern Ghana who completed a questionnaire containing information on DHL, information accuracy, subjective well-being, and underlying health condition, with reported internal consistency coefficients above 0.70. The data which was processed with SPSS version 25, was analyzed using correlation (Pearson and biserial), and Hayes' PROCESS for the moderation and mediation analyses. Results: A significant positive relationship was found between (a) DHL and subjective well-being, (b) DHL and information accuracy concerns, and (c) information accuracy concerns and subjective well-being. However, the prevalence of underlying health condition was negatively associated with information accuracy, DHL, and subjective well-being. Information accuracy concerns and the existence of an underlying medical condition significantly regulated the relationship between DHL and subjective well-being. Conclusions: Demonstrating satisfactory levels of DHL does not necessarily result in improved subjective well-being. However, emphasis should be placed on whether individuals attach much importance to the accuracy of information retrieved as well as having or not an underlying health condition.

Understanding University Students’ Health Information Seeking Behaviours on Social Media During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Developing Country Perspective

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the COVID-19 pandemic is considered the worst global health crisis in the 21st century that caused unprecedented disruption to many sectors around the world (e.g. education, business, and tourism). Misinformation on social media is one of the major issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, which must be carefully considered. To address this issue, people’s health information-seeking behaviours play an important role to access accurate and reliable information on social media. In this study, we conducted a questionnaire-based study in Myanmar, which is one of the developing countries according to the United Nations to understand university students’ health information-seeking behaviours on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings suggest that social media plays a vital role to spread reliable and accurate information during the pandemic. The role of governments and authorities is also important to effectively use social media platforms (e.g. Facebook) to reach out to the public so that they can spread timely and accurate information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lastly, users need to assess and verify the credibility of information related to pandemics on social media when they seek health-related information. This study suggests opportunities for further research in health information seeking on social media. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Community, Risk Assessment, Prevention and Control: Black American College Student's Information Seeking on COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Despite the disproportionate impact of the novel coronavirus on Black Americans, there is little research that centres Black college students' information behaviours during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to identify information needs, resources and use regarding the novel coronavirus pandemic among Black American college students. METHODS: This is a quantitative study among 389 college students in the USA. Data were collected using an online crowdsourced survey instrument. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data through SPSS. RESULTS: The most salient information needs related to Covid-19 symptoms, personal protective equipment, vulnerable populations, and risk assessment; however, students also wanted information on Covid-19's impact on the Black community. There were no statistically significant gender differences in students' information seeking, resources or use with one exception; male students believed the internet alone could provide all relevant information about the coronavirus in comparison to female students. Barriers related to the volume of information, information fluidity and determining the quality of information. CONCLUSION: Colleges and universities can play a critical role in information dissemination during crisis events. Students need critical information literacy skills that intersect with everyday information needs, particularly health literacy.

Health information seeking behaviour during exceptional times: A case study of Persian-speaking minorities in Finland

Literature on minorities' health-related information seeking shows that minorities, like non-minorities, require access to accurate and timely information, but they also need information in a range of languages and from a variety of sources. Health-related information seeking behaviour of Persian-speaking minorities living in Finland, explicitly focused on the COVID-19 pandemic situation, was investigated. Eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the extended Longo Health Information Model was used as a theoretical lens for analysing the data. The results point to several factors that can improve the outcome of minorities' health-related information seeking behaviours and activities, such as providing information related to their personal health, a deeper understanding of factors influencing the quality of health conditions at the individual or household level and broadcasting the latest health-related information in different languages and emphasize the needs for mental health-related information and services. The findings suggest that not only healthcare providers, immigration officials, and policymakers should be aware of the specific health-related information that minorities require, seek, and use during times of adversity, but also the extent to which how the identified factors influence the process of minorities' seeking health-related information.

Changes in Air-Pollution-Related Information-Seeking Behaviour during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland.

Low air quality in Poland is a problem of particularly high urgency. Therefore, Poles must be aware of air quality levels, also during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to compare air-pollution-related information-seeking behaviour between the pre- and intra-pandemic periods as well as between the actual and theoretical machine-learning-forecasted intra-pandemic models. Google Trends search volumes (GTSVs) in Poland for air-pollution-related keywords were collected between January 2016 and January 2022. To investigate the changes that would have occurred without the outbreak of the pandemic, Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) machine-learning models were trained. Approximately 4,500,000 search queries were analysed. Between pre- and intra-pandemic periods, weighted mean GTSVs changed by -39.0%. When the actual intra-pandemic weighted mean GTSVs were compared to the intra-pandemic forecasts, the actual values were lower by -16.5% (SARIMA's error = 6.2%). Compared to the pre-pandemic period, in the intra-pandemic period, the number of search queries containing keywords connected with air pollution decreased. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic might have facilitated the decrease. Possible causes include an attention shift towards everyday problems connected to the pandemic, worse mental health status and lower outdoor exposure that might have resulted in a lower intensity of non-pandemic-related active information-seeking behaviour.

Health Information Seeking Behaviour, Risk Communication, and Mobility During COVID-19

The existence of physical and financial barriers in the provision of healthcare leads to an increasing recognition that alternative sources of information are being used to supplement or replace the advice of healthcare professionals. Internet search engines are a common means to obtain health information. However. information, misinformation, and disinformation are all available concurrently, leaving health information seekers to distinguish these categories of information. Following a review of theories directly and indirectly related to health information-seeking behaviour (HISB). we examine how public announcements made by credible sources (e.g.. health professionals and politicians) in varying geographic regions (globally, nationally (Canada). and regionally (New York State) influenced both HISB (represented by Google Searches) and whether this influences human behaviour (represented by Google Mobility Data). Across these analyses, we demonstrate that there are strong correlations between information search behaviour and mobility around the time of public health announcements suggesting that, directly or indirectly, health communication was associated with changes in individual behaviour.

An investigation into the information-seeking behaviour of professionals, working within the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector in Ireland

Purpose>This research aimed to investigate the information-seeking behaviour (ISB) and information needs of different professional groups within the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector in the Republic of Ireland (i.e. for what purpose information is acquired), the information sources professional groups use (including in-house documentation, regulations, industry guidelines, standards and colleagues) and the factors, which influence professional groups' choice of information sources. Furthermore, the research explored the perceived level of support that exists towards knowledge and information sharing.Design/methodology/approach>A quantitative non-experimental research design, comprising of a self-completion survey questionnaire, was used to examine a number of information-seeking variables: information triggers, information sources and source influencers as well as information sharing enablers. It was related to four professional tasks: process technology/process development, regulatory support and quality/compliance support and engineering.Findings>The research provides new insights into the ISB of pharmaceutical professionals working within a highly regulated and high-performance production environment, including a greater understanding of the context in which professional groups experience information needs. The levels of agreement observed in relation to employees' perception of information-sharing enablers indicated an overall positive level of information sharing.Research limitations/implications>The study points to largely echoed previous findings which suggest that individual work role associated tasks prompt particular information needs. Further to this, work role associated tasks have a bearing on information source selection. Pharmaceutical professionals engaged in positive levels of information and knowledge sharing, relying on procedures, other colleagues and internal documentation as information sources. The participants also indicated a high level of agreement in respect to the value of available subject matter experts as information-sharing enablers.Practical implications>Organisations should aim to create opportunities for adequate time to share information and organisational structures, facilitating an overall organisational culture of sharing. A focus on information sharing through forums, seminars, meetings and working groups could enhance information sharing, through the development of communities of practice.Social implications>Pharmaceutical professionals relied on trustworthiness and quality as professional' top information source-influencing factors. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that working within a high-performance, target-driven and time-constrained production environment brings a particular contextual impact, where frequent urgent information triggers are experienced. These contextual factors warrant further investigation.Originality/value>A paucity of information exists with respect to the ISB of professionals, working within the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, which is a sector known for its high level of information use and production. This paper offered an original empirical investigation of the ISB of professionals, working within the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector in the Republic of Ireland, focussing on key professional tasks. The research also addressed the level of support available for knowledge and information sharing.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: The Role of Information Sources and Beliefs in Dutch Adults.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy may be regarded as a new pandemic hindering the elimination of or coping with COVID-19. This study assessed reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy using the I-Change Model (ICM) by considering the role of informational and psychosocial factors. A cross-sectional online survey using a convenience sample was conducted among Dutch adults (n = 240). The questionnaire assessed information factors, predisposing factors, awareness factors, motivational factors, preparatory actions, and vaccination intention. Vaccine hesitant participants (n = 58, 24%) had lower levels of education, more often paid work, and tended to have a religion other than Catholicism. They used written media less often and tended to visit websites of public health organizations less often, but used messaging services like WhatsApp more frequently. All participants had neutral intentions towards checking information credibility. Vaccine hesitant respondents had less knowledge about vaccination, lower perceived severity of getting sick and dying of COVID-19, and reported fewer exposures to cues about the advantages of COVID-19 vaccination. They were less convinced of the emotional and rational advantages of COVID-19 vaccination and expressed more negative feelings about it. They also reported more negative social norms concerning COVID-19 vaccination, and lower self-efficacy to get vaccinated and to cope with potential side-effects. The regression model explained 58% of the variance in vaccination intention. The results suggest that strategies are needed to: 1. Reduce fake news and stimulate information checking to foster well-informed decision-making; 2. Target both rational and emotional consequences of COVID-19, in addition to strategies for optimizing levels of knowledge. Campaigns should acknowledge the perceptions of the emotional disadvantages and increase perceptions of emotional advantages of COVID-19 vaccinations, such as reducing feelings of regret, and increasing feelings of freedom and reassurance.

Information-seeking behaviour of students at a Caribbean University during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose: This study investigated how students of the Faculties of Humanities and Education and Social Sciences at a Caribbean University sought information during the COVID-19 pandemic, identified challenges they experienced in seeking information for academic tasks and how satisfied they were with the Library's provision of electronic resources and services during this period. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative survey design was adopted for this study. Data were collected using an online questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Findings: This study revealed that undergraduates relied upon lecture notes to complete assignments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Undergraduate students have developed a definite information-seeking pattern, which did not change during the pandemic. They tend to use information channels that require the least effort. Postgraduate students used a variety of Library information channels but primarily used electronic journals. On the whole, students experienced challenges while seeking information via the channels provided by the Library. Students were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with the Library's provision of electronic resources and services. Research limitations/implications: The study used non-probability sampling and only included students from two faculties at one university. As a result, the findings may not be generalized to the entire student population or all Caribbean universities. Practical implications: The results of this study can be used to identify the difficulties students are having in accessing information from the Library and gauge service delivery. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the scholarship from the Caribbean written to show whether students' information-seeking behaviour changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

WEB QUESTING IN TEFL COURSES: WHAT FACTORS DETER THE STUDENTS' INFORMATION-SEEKING BEHAVIOR?

The survival and the continuity of an organization's operations depend upon the use of information. As such, investigating the Webquesting behavior of university students in general and TEFL (Teaching English as a foreign language) students in particular during the Covid 19 seems essential. Since information-seeking behavior can be influenced by various factors we aimed to explore the attitude of TEFL students towards webquesting. In the next phase of the study, we sought the barriers to TEFL students' Webquesting behaviour. Accordingly, the present research employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The statistical population consisted of 128 TEFL students and the sampling method was purposeful. The findings of this study revealed that the students were not satisfied with their webquesting and that there were two major obstacles in their webquesting, namely, learners' constraints and teachers' constraints. The inhibitors included lack of familiarity with Internet sources, poor information seeking skills, lack of interest in some topics, lack of skills in using the Internet, poor English proficiency, teachers' lack of CALL (computer assisted language learning) preparation, lack of help from the side of teachers, teachers' lack of attention to non-textbook resources, and students' lack of motivation and time. Findings have implications for TEFL teachers, since, based on the qualitative data, the most important source of information for students is textbooks and the most important goal of searching for information is for doing homework. The importance of textbooks for students is the result of the pivotal role given to the text books by teachers and the final exams. Perhaps students' lack of interest in webquesting is partly due to such an undue emphasis. On the other hand, students' lack of interest in Webquesting was also due to the lack of attention and encouragement from the side of teachers to use the Internet resources.

p Health information seeking behaviour among the Kuwaiti population during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study investigates health information seeking behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic based on a survey of 1,018 residents in Kuwait. An online questionnaire was used to collect the data using convenience sampling method. More than half the respondents reported following news updates on COVID-19 through websites produced by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health (MOH), local TV channels, and social media networks. They were aware of most of the precautions being prescribed to curb the spread of the virus. Official resources that helped improve the participants' health information seeking behaviour included receiving text messages from government agencies and watching daily press coverage of news conferences held by the MOH. Health information seeking behaviour for COVID-19 varied among the respondents according to socio-demographic characteristics. Male respondents had sought more health-related information than the females. Respondents aged 18 to 29 years and student groups were more likely than others to follow news updates on COVID-19;were more aware of the relevant precautionary practices;and were more likely to improve their health literacy. The findings of this study provide a clear account of public health information-seeking behaviour in Kuwait during the pandemic.

The effects of information-seeking behaviours on prevention behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic: the mediating effects of anxiety and fear in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: Identifying determinants of prevention behaviours during the emergence of a new infectious disease is important. We investigated the associations between information-seeking and prevention behaviours during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and mediating effects of psychiatric factors. METHODS: In total, 1,970 participants from the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Etiology Research Center cohort participated in an online survey 55 days after the first COVID-19 case in Korea was diagnosed. Time spent seeking information related to COVID-19; information sources; psychiatric factors, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and the fear of COVID-19; and prevention behaviours were examined. The mediating effect of psychiatric factors was estimated using mediation analysis. RESULTS: Time spent seeking information and information sources affected several behavioural responses. In men, anxiety mediated associations between information-seeking and prevention behaviours, including purchasing sanitary supplies (effect size [ES], 0.038; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.002 to 0.095) and hoarding (ES, 0.029; 95% CI, 0.002 to 0.068). The fear of COVID-19 also mediated associations between information-seeking and prevention behaviours including refraining from going out (men: ES, 0.034; 95% CI, 0.009 to 0.068; women: ES, 0.052; 95% CI, 0.030 to 0.080), wearing face masks (men: ES, 0.085; 95% CI, 0.031 to 0.184), avoiding public transportation (men: ES, 0.020; 95% CI, 0.000 to 0.044; women: ES, 0.031; 95% CI, 0.015 to 0.051), hoarding (women: ES, 0.051; 95% CI, 0.029 to 0.792), and trying alternative remedies (men: ES, 0.024; 95% CI, 0.004 to 0.053). Depressive symptoms and PTSS did not have any mediating effects. CONCLUSIONS: While the availability of information related to COVID-19 can help prevent infections, it can also promote anxiety and fear, leading to negative behaviours such as hoarding and trying unverified alternative treatments.

COVID-19 information seeking needs and behaviour among citizens in Isfahan, Iran: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Access to reliable and credible health information improves individuals' personal care level in crises, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It subsequently results in enhancing the community's health and reducing the health system's costs. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the COVID-19 related information seeking behaviour demonstrated by citizens in Isfahan, Iran. METHODS: This research was conducted in 2020 and employed a qualitative approach using conventional content analysis. The research population was selected from almost different social classes of people in Iran using purposive sampling. The saturation point was reached at 24 semi-structured interviews. The data's soundness was confirmed based on the criteria of credibility, confirmability, dependability and transferability proposed by Guba and Lincoln. RESULTS: The findings revealed five subcategories and 25 codes within the information seeking behaviour. The subcategories included attitude towards the COVID-19 crisis, information needs, information resources, information validation and information seeking barriers. CONCLUSION: People seek information from various resources to update their knowledge and become more prepared in the face of COVID-19. The findings can be used to develop policies on informing and preventing the dissemination of false information in crises, such as the COVID-19 crisis.

Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Information Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia.

INTRODUCTION: In the absence of vaccines and specific drugs, prevention effort has been attributed as the primary control mechanism of COVID-19. Knowledge, attitude, and practice are used to determine the current situation and formulate appropriate control interventions as well as risk communication. This study, therefore, aims to assess knowledge, attitude, practice and information needs about COVID-19 in Indonesian society. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online survey in the third week of August 2020. Purposive and random sampling was used to select the respondents. People with a minimum age of 18 years and residing in Indonesia were allowed to participate in this study. The survey was conducted with an online questionnaire that spread on several platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook by distributing the link and continuous chain messages on that platform. Data were analysed using descriptive, chi-square and logistic regression test. RESULTS: A total of 816 respondents were included in this study. In general, public knowledge about COVID-19 was sufficient, but some topic areas were still low. Most people had a positive attitude about the COVID-19, but they provided a negative response to government policies. Most of the community has taken preventive measures for COVID-19. However, some behaviours received a low percentage. Information about how to prevent COVID-19 was the most wanted information during this pandemic. Social media was a favourite source of information, with the most popular type of visualisation was a table containing numbers. Age and education were significantly associated with knowledge. Some attitudes were affected by age and occupation scope. Gender and health insurance ownership significantly associated with preventive measures. CONCLUSION: This research highlights the importance of providing valid, effective, efficient, and continuous information to the public through appropriate channels to increase understanding about COVID-19 precautions.