COVID-19 anxiety: The impact of older adults’ transmission of negative information and online social networks

Aging and health research Pub Date : 2023-03-01 DOI:10.1016/j.ahr.2023.100119

Linying Dong , Lixia Yang

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引用次数: 3

Abstract

Objectives

This study examines the impact of older adults’ online social networks on their COVID-19 anxiety, directly or indirectly through social transmission of negative information about COVID-19. Social networks were indexed by both bonding capital (i.e., social relationships formed with family and friends) and bridging capital (i.e., social relationships formed through casual social networks).

Methods

An on-line survey was conducted with 190 older adults who were in self-isolation in Ontario in the early waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Results

Bonding and bridging capital showed different impacts on older adults’ informational behavior and COVID-19 anxiety. While bonding capital deterred older adults from transmitting negative COVID-19 information and thus reduced COVID-19 anxiety, bridging capital contributed to increased dissemination of negative information and thus heightened older adults’ anxiety.

Discussion

Our findings shed light on the detrimental behavioral and psychological impact of casual online social networks on older adults amidst a public health crisis.

Abstract Image

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COVID-19焦虑:老年人负面信息传播和在线社交网络的影响

目的本研究通过新冠肺炎负面信息的社会传播，直接或间接研究老年人在线社交网络对其新冠肺炎焦虑的影响。社交网络以联结资本（即与家人和朋友形成的社会关系）和桥接资本（即通过偶然的社交网络形成的社会联系）为索引。方法对2020年新冠肺炎疫情早期安大略省190名自我安慰的老年人进行了在线调查对老年人信息行为和新冠肺炎焦虑的不同影响。虽然联结资本阻止了老年人传播新冠肺炎负面信息，从而减少了新冠肺炎焦虑，但联结资本有助于增加负面信息的传播，从而加剧了老年人的焦虑。讨论我们的研究结果揭示了在公共卫生危机中，随意的在线社交网络对老年人的有害行为和心理影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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