Netizens' Perception of COVID-19 Information & Information Sources.

Perceptions of Netizens Regarding COVID-19 Information & Information Sources: A Cross Sectional Study

COVID-19 Infection was characterized as a Pandemic by WHO on the 11th of March 2020.1 After this there were all possible worldwide efforts to increase awareness in the general population about the COVID-19 Infection signs, symptoms, mode of transmission and prevention. The information was spread across all possible mass media communication channels. There were constant updates regarding the data of newly infected cases, deaths, and recoveries. This cross sectional study is conducted with the following objectives:

1. To understand the netizens perception regarding the sources of information available on COVID-19.
2. To understand the netizens populations perception regarding the available information on COVID-19.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Covid19; Social Media; Perception, Self; Information Seeking Behavior
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Electronic Survey questionnaire

Detailed Description

Mass media plays a significant role in public outreach and create awareness. Various mass media has their individual reach to the general public. In the current world of information technology availability of information is not an issue. There is in fact excessive availability of information. What makes a big difference is that RIGHT information delivery on RIGHT time and within RIGHT time. After WHO characterized COVID-19 infection as pandemic, mass media played a significant role in creating awareness regarding COVID-19 infection signs, symptoms, mode of transmission and its prevention. There were constant updates in various mass media regarding the data of newly infected cases, deaths, and recoveries. COVID-19 Pandemic has created fears, anxiety, and worries among the general population. There was information given to general public regarding treatment drugs and possibility of vaccine for COVID-19 infection. This created a ray of hope in many. So information in various mass media sources had different types of impact on general population thoughts.

This cross sectional study is conducted with the following objectives:

1. To understand the general populations perception regarding the sources of information available on COVID-19.
2. To understand the general populations perception regarding the available information on COVID-19.

This Cross sectional study utilizes an electronic google form to get responses from netizens of Al Qassim province of Saudi Arabia regarding the perception of COVID-19 information and information sources. All the questions in the survey are compulsory answerable questions. The settings in the google form are set so that a single respondent can limit the survey response to single time. The Survey Questionnaire contained following sections:

Section I: Minimum required personal details Section II: 10 Questions regarding the source of COVID-19 information Section III: 6 Questions regarding perception of the COVID-19 information

The questionnaire also carried the following disclaimer:

"This Survey will not Collect your Name, Email, Location, and Phone number. We pledge that the data obtained by this survey is for Educational purpose & scientific knowledge enhancement only. The data will not be transferred or shared with any other third party for commercial interest."

The very first part of the Questionnaires seeks responders' consent for giving responses to the survey questions. participation Section II & III contained all closed ended questions. The Google form link is shared to the netizens of Al Qassim province across relevant Social media platforms.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 385

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Bugude Shiva Shankar, MDS; Phone Number: +966163020523; Email: S.ggg@qu.edu.sa
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Shiva Shankar Bugude, MDS; Phone Number: +966 531476028; Email: S.ggg@qu.edu.sa

Study Locations

• Saudi Arabia
  • Al Qassim
    • Ar Rass, Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia, 51921
      • Recruiting
      • Dr Bugude Shiva Shankar
      • Contact: Bugude Shiva Shankar, MDS; Phone Number: +966163020523; Email: S.ggg@qu.edu.sa

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 19 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

This online Observational Cross-sectional survey study is conducted to get responses from the Al Qassim province region Internet users. They are the target study population for this study. The Google form questionnaire survey link will be shared with the Dentists in internet via Social Media &/Or email to seek responses. The link will be available for single response for a single respondent.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male and Female Human volunteer internet users who belong &/or reside in Al Qassim province region of Saudi Arabia.
• Volunteers should be major by age (18 years and above).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Minor age group (<18 years) subjects are excluded from the study.
• Internet users who have preexisting phobia and/or anxiety mental conditions are excluded from the study.
• Internet users who are currently under treatment for their preexisting phobia and/or anxiety mental conditions are excluded from the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

Netizens; Internet users in Al Qassim province region are the target study population for this study. This Cross sectional study utilizes an electronic google form to get responses from netizens of Al Qassim province of Saudi Arabia regarding the perception of COVID-19 information and information sources. All the questions in the survey are compulsory answerable questions. The settings in the google form are set so that a single respondent can limit the survey response to single time. The Google form link is shared to the netizens of Al Qassim province across relevant Social media platforms.

Other: Electronic Survey questionnaire; This Cross sectional study utilizes an electronic google form to get responses from netizens of Al Qassim province of Saudi Arabia regarding the perception of COVID-19 information and information sources. All the questions in the survey are compulsory answerable questions. The settings in the google form are set so that a single respondent can limit the survey response to single time. The Survey Questionnaire contained following sections: Section I: Minimum required personal details Section II: 10 Questions regarding the source of COVID-19 information Section III: 6 Questions regarding perception of the COVID-19 information The very first part of the Questionnaires seeks responders' consent for giving responses to the survey questions. participation Section II & III contained all closed ended questions. The Google form link is shared to the netizens of Al Qassim province across relevant Social media platforms.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Netizens' perception of the Sources of COVID-19 information	Assessing the perception regarding the Sources of COVID-19 information among netizens in Al Qassim province using a 10 open ended Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics will be used to present the data.	11th of August 2020
Netizens' perception on COVID-19 information	Assessing the perception regarding COVID-19 information among netizens in Al Qassim province using a 6 open ended Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics will be used to present the data.	11th of August 2020

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Correlation of Age and the Frequency of checking COVID-19 information updates	The survey data will be statistically analyzed to check for the Correlation of Age and the Frequency of checking COVID-19 information updates. The data obtained from the survey will be subjected to appropriate analytical statistical tests to understand the correlation. A p-value of <0.05 is considered statistically significant correlation of the variables analysed.	11th of August 2020
Correlation of Gender and the Frequency of checking COVID-19 information updates	The survey data will be statistically analyzed to check for the Correlation of Gender and the Frequency of checking COVID-19 information updates. The data obtained from the survey will be subjected to appropriate analytical statistical tests to understand the correlation. A p-value of <0.05 is considered statistically significant correlation of the variables analysed.	11th of August 2020
Correlation of Age and the perception of newly infected COVID-19 cases information update	The survey data will be statistically analyzed to check for the Correlation of Age and the perception of newly infected COVID-19 cases information update. The data obtained from the survey will be subjected to appropriate analytical statistical tests to understand the correlation. A p-value of <0.05 is considered statistically significant correlation of the variables analysed.	11th of August 2020
Correlation of Age and the perception of COVID-19 deaths information update	The survey data will be statistically analyzed to check for the Correlation of Age and the perception of COVID-19 deaths information update. The data obtained from the survey will be subjected to appropriate analytical statistical tests to understand the correlation. A p-value of <0.05 is considered statistically significant correlation of the variables analysed.	11th of August 2020
Correlation of Age and the perception of COVID-19 Vaccine information update	The survey data will be statistically analyzed to check for the Correlation of Age and the perception of COVID-19 Vaccine information update. The data obtained from the survey will be subjected to appropriate analytical statistical tests to understand the correlation. A p-value of <0.05 is considered statistically significant correlation of the variables analysed.	11th of August 2020
Correlation of Age and the perception of COVID-19 treatment medicines/drugs information update	The survey data will be statistically analyzed to check for the Correlation of Age and the perception of COVID-19 treatment medicines/drugs information update. The data obtained from the survey will be subjected to appropriate analytical statistical tests to understand the correlation. A p-value of <0.05 is considered statistically significant correlation of the variables analysed.	11th of August 2020

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Qassim University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Bugude Shiva Shankar, MDS, College of Applied Health Sciences - Al Rass

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): June 10, 2020
• Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED): August 10, 2020
• Study Completion (ANTICIPATED): August 15, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 1, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 2, 2020
• First Posted (ACTUAL): August 4, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): August 4, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 2, 2020
• Last Verified: August 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: COVID-19; Social media; Perception; Information; Information sources; Netizens
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Coronavirus Infections; Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Infections; Respiratory Tract Infections; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumonia; Lung Diseases; COVID-19
• Other Study ID Numbers: QassimU3

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED
• IPD Plan Description: The Research data will be available to the Principal Investigator. On requirement the data will be shared to whomsoever after consultation with the concerned higher authorities in the College of Applied Health sciences in Ar rass. The descriptive & analytical data will be used for scientific publication.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No