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How social media fosters the elders' COVID-19 preventive behaviors: perspectives of information value and perceived threat

Tran Hung Nguyen (Department of Economic Information System and E-commerce, Thuongmai University, Hanoi, Vietnam)
Xuan Cu Le (Department of Economic Information System and E-commerce, Thuongmai University, Hanoi, Vietnam)

Library Hi Tech

ISSN: 0737-8831

Article publication date: 5 April 2021

Issue publication date: 13 September 2021

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Abstract

Purpose

Although crisis communication via social media has engaged academia's attention during the disease outbreak, information value for preventive behaviors is inadequately studied. The purpose of this paper is to cast light on how to strengthen the uptake of older people's coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) behavioral outcomes due to information value and perceived threat through social media.

Design/methodology/approach

This study designs a survey and applies structural equation modeling to examine a research framework. A sample comprises 334 Vietnamese older participants who have utilized social media.

Findings

The results illustrate that preventive behaviors are determined by perceived threat (i.e. severity and susceptibility). Furthermore, older people heighten risk perceptions based on information characteristics, including information relevance, informative support and source credibility. Lastly, information relevance is a strong predictor of source credibility.

Practical implications

The findings assist practitioners to enhance crisis communication effectiveness via social media by imparting valuable information to the public. Moreover, this paper offers overarching guidelines on the improvement in credibility with creators, risk consciousness and preventive behaviors.

Originality/value

Although earlier studies focused attentiveness on the power of social media for raising threat perceptions, this work seems the first to unveil informative motives for perceived COVID-19 threat across older individuals, which subsequently presents plausible reasons for behavioral disclosure, including facemask-wearing, hand-washing and social distancing.

Keywords

Citation

Nguyen, T.H. and Le, X.C. (2021), "How social media fosters the elders' COVID-19 preventive behaviors: perspectives of information value and perceived threat", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 39 No. 3, pp. 776-795. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-09-2020-0241

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

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