Usage of social media during the pandemic: Seeking support and awareness about COVID-19 through social media platforms

Abstract

Social media have become popularly use to seek for medical information and have fascinated the general public to collect information regarding corona virus pandemics in various perspectives. During these days, people are forced to stay at home and the social media have connected and supported awareness and pandemic updates. The present study aims at highlighting the present situation of Indonesian society, where the outbreak position is quite high. The study collects the data from social media users from March and April 2020. The data were also compiled from the secondary sources, like opinions, the literature and scientific articles from reputable journals. The total number of 348 responses were collected from respondents through random sampling technique, and the majority respondents show positive attitudes toward using social media as medical information instruments. The results demonstrate that social media have been used to seek social supports from the respondents' online networks and offline friends, relatives, and colleagues. The study also examines that the usage of social media platforms is perceived as easy and accessible to every individual for sharing, posting, and reacting to any medical information regarding the pandemic. Since people continue work from home, and ensuring the social distance, so, the majority of users have seen family and friends have provided support and attempt to raise awareness by sharing and circulating a range of information within their closed-social network.

Media consumption and mental health during COVID-19 lockdown: a UK cross-sectional study across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

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