April 4-6, 2024 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Innovations in Health Communication
Innovations in Health Communication
Abstract: YouTube and Interpersonal Communication During Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic
This study explores the impact of YouTube and interpersonal communication on health-related behavior. Given that YouTube has become an increasingly popular platform for medical communication, the goal of this study is to determine the relationship between exposure to pandemic-related information on YouTube and COVID-19 preventative behavior intentions, as well as how interpersonal communication among family, friends, and peers might alter that relationship.
This study is a secondary analysis that examines public perceptions during the early stages of COVID-19 in South Korea using an online survey with 1,175 participants. Data was analyzed using hierarchical linear regression analysis.
The relationship between YouTube use and behavioral intentions is examined through cultivation theory, which assumes that people will alter their behavior as they form perceptions of reality through media information. The first hypothesis assumes that frequent exposure to pandemic-related information on YouTube will be associated with COVID-19 preventative behavior intentions when controlling for demographics, perceived health status, and perceived credibility of traditional news media (i.e., newspaper, television, and radio). In addition, this study focuses on two ways that interpersonal communication might alter this relationship: (A) Interpersonal communication can have a substituting or reinforcing effect on the relationship between media use and behavior through the process of perceived information insufficiency and (B) individuals might be driven by a desire to conform by adjusting their attitudes and behaviors based on normative influence from their interpersonal networks. Therefore, the second hypothesis predicts that interpersonal communication about the pandemic will moderate the relationship between exposure to pandemic-related information on YouTube and COVID-19 preventative behavior intentions.
As expected, results revealed a positive relationship between YouTube use and preventative behavior intentions (β= .06, p=.03), expanding the assumptions of cultivation theory to YouTube. In addition, interpersonal communication moderated the relationship between YouTube use and preventative behavior intentions (β= -.06, p=.03), such that the positive relationship between YouTube exposure and behavior intentions was stronger among those who participated in less interpersonal discussion. One way to explain this finding is that people felt they had enough information about COVID-19 from YouTube and did not need interpersonal communication to fulfill informational needs. In addition, people may have utilized their interpersonal networks to express uncertainty or a lack of approval about the government's response to the outbreak, thus altering their intention to engage in government-initiated preventative measures.
These findings verify the strengths of YouTube as a powerful tool to create public awareness about COVID-19 and influence health-related behavior. In addition, interpersonal communication may directly and indirectly influence health behavior intentions through the transmission of media information and the development of social norms. Thus, health researchers should consider the role of interpersonal communication in reinforcing or mitigating the influence of media when designing health messaging, campaigns, and interventions. Additional considerations include the influence of information credibility and perceptions of government response to health threats. The latter is particularly applicable to the everyday flow of information during times of uncertainty that characterize the early stages of infectious disease outbreaks.
This study is a secondary analysis that examines public perceptions during the early stages of COVID-19 in South Korea using an online survey with 1,175 participants. Data was analyzed using hierarchical linear regression analysis.
The relationship between YouTube use and behavioral intentions is examined through cultivation theory, which assumes that people will alter their behavior as they form perceptions of reality through media information. The first hypothesis assumes that frequent exposure to pandemic-related information on YouTube will be associated with COVID-19 preventative behavior intentions when controlling for demographics, perceived health status, and perceived credibility of traditional news media (i.e., newspaper, television, and radio). In addition, this study focuses on two ways that interpersonal communication might alter this relationship: (A) Interpersonal communication can have a substituting or reinforcing effect on the relationship between media use and behavior through the process of perceived information insufficiency and (B) individuals might be driven by a desire to conform by adjusting their attitudes and behaviors based on normative influence from their interpersonal networks. Therefore, the second hypothesis predicts that interpersonal communication about the pandemic will moderate the relationship between exposure to pandemic-related information on YouTube and COVID-19 preventative behavior intentions.
As expected, results revealed a positive relationship between YouTube use and preventative behavior intentions (β= .06, p=.03), expanding the assumptions of cultivation theory to YouTube. In addition, interpersonal communication moderated the relationship between YouTube use and preventative behavior intentions (β= -.06, p=.03), such that the positive relationship between YouTube exposure and behavior intentions was stronger among those who participated in less interpersonal discussion. One way to explain this finding is that people felt they had enough information about COVID-19 from YouTube and did not need interpersonal communication to fulfill informational needs. In addition, people may have utilized their interpersonal networks to express uncertainty or a lack of approval about the government's response to the outbreak, thus altering their intention to engage in government-initiated preventative measures.
These findings verify the strengths of YouTube as a powerful tool to create public awareness about COVID-19 and influence health-related behavior. In addition, interpersonal communication may directly and indirectly influence health behavior intentions through the transmission of media information and the development of social norms. Thus, health researchers should consider the role of interpersonal communication in reinforcing or mitigating the influence of media when designing health messaging, campaigns, and interventions. Additional considerations include the influence of information credibility and perceptions of government response to health threats. The latter is particularly applicable to the everyday flow of information during times of uncertainty that characterize the early stages of infectious disease outbreaks.