Evaluating the moderating role of information seeking platforms on university students' risk perception and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana
IntroductionThe emergence of COVID-19 resulted in heightened usage of online information seeking platforms among students aimed at obtaining information about the virus. This situation further increased the levels of risk perception and anxiety levels as students managed to stay safe. This study exa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Communication |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1035593/full |
| _version_ | 1827985672535801856 |
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| author | John Elvis Hagan John Elvis Hagan Frank Quansah Francis Ankomah Francis Ankomah Edmond Kwesi Agormedah Medina Srem-Sai Thomas Schack |
| author_facet | John Elvis Hagan John Elvis Hagan Frank Quansah Francis Ankomah Francis Ankomah Edmond Kwesi Agormedah Medina Srem-Sai Thomas Schack |
| author_sort | John Elvis Hagan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThe emergence of COVID-19 resulted in heightened usage of online information seeking platforms among students aimed at obtaining information about the virus. This situation further increased the levels of risk perception and anxiety levels as students managed to stay safe. This study examined the roles of information seeking platforms; specifically, social media platforms and professional platforms as moderators of the link between risk perception and anxiety among university students in Ghana.MethodsParticipants were recruited from two universities in Ghana; namely, University of Education, Winneba (UEW) and University of Cape Coast (UCC) through a survey approach. The study conveniently sampled 778 participants who completed a set of questionnaires.ResultsThe study results revealed that COVID-19 risk perception was positively related to anxiety. Further, the use of specific online information platforms significantly moderated the link between risk perception and anxiety. Specifically, social media platforms significantly moderated the relationship between COVID-19 risk perception and anxiety level. Primarily, students who utilized social media as a COVID-19 information source reported high anxiety levels in the presence of high-risk perception compared to those who did not use social media. Additionally, professional platform usage acted as a buffer in the positive link between COVID-19 risk perception and anxiety levels. In the presence of high risk perception, students who used professional platforms, compared to those who did not use professional platforms, showed significantly low anxiety levels.ConclusionsThe findings suggest the key role social media and professional platforms played in shaping students' perceptions of COVID-19. These outcomes call for the swift scrutiny of health-related information obtained from social media platforms. Both users and disseminators of health-related information on social media platforms have the responsibility of verifying the credibility of whichever information they post and/or access. Risk perception should also be an integral part of effective risk communication planning in educational institutions during outbreak of diseases. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:18:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-06c57ae969fd4b68a2e913ed07038d46 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-900X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:18:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Communication |
| spelling | doaj.art-06c57ae969fd4b68a2e913ed07038d462023-03-22T05:11:01ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Communication2297-900X2023-03-01810.3389/fcomm.2023.10355931035593Evaluating the moderating role of information seeking platforms on university students' risk perception and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in GhanaJohn Elvis Hagan0John Elvis Hagan1Frank Quansah2Francis Ankomah3Francis Ankomah4Edmond Kwesi Agormedah5Medina Srem-Sai6Thomas Schack7Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, GhanaNeurocognition and Action-Biomechanics-Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, GermanyDepartment of Educational Foundations, University of Education, Winneba, GhanaDepartment of Education and Psychology, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, GhanaDepartment of Education, Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) College of Education, Koforidua, GhanaDepartment of Business and Social Sciences Education, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, GhanaDepartment of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sports, University of Education, Winneba, GhanaNeurocognition and Action-Biomechanics-Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, GermanyIntroductionThe emergence of COVID-19 resulted in heightened usage of online information seeking platforms among students aimed at obtaining information about the virus. This situation further increased the levels of risk perception and anxiety levels as students managed to stay safe. This study examined the roles of information seeking platforms; specifically, social media platforms and professional platforms as moderators of the link between risk perception and anxiety among university students in Ghana.MethodsParticipants were recruited from two universities in Ghana; namely, University of Education, Winneba (UEW) and University of Cape Coast (UCC) through a survey approach. The study conveniently sampled 778 participants who completed a set of questionnaires.ResultsThe study results revealed that COVID-19 risk perception was positively related to anxiety. Further, the use of specific online information platforms significantly moderated the link between risk perception and anxiety. Specifically, social media platforms significantly moderated the relationship between COVID-19 risk perception and anxiety level. Primarily, students who utilized social media as a COVID-19 information source reported high anxiety levels in the presence of high-risk perception compared to those who did not use social media. Additionally, professional platform usage acted as a buffer in the positive link between COVID-19 risk perception and anxiety levels. In the presence of high risk perception, students who used professional platforms, compared to those who did not use professional platforms, showed significantly low anxiety levels.ConclusionsThe findings suggest the key role social media and professional platforms played in shaping students' perceptions of COVID-19. These outcomes call for the swift scrutiny of health-related information obtained from social media platforms. Both users and disseminators of health-related information on social media platforms have the responsibility of verifying the credibility of whichever information they post and/or access. Risk perception should also be an integral part of effective risk communication planning in educational institutions during outbreak of diseases.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1035593/fullanxietyCOVID-19Ghanaprofessional platformrisk perceptionsocial media |
| spellingShingle | John Elvis Hagan John Elvis Hagan Frank Quansah Francis Ankomah Francis Ankomah Edmond Kwesi Agormedah Medina Srem-Sai Thomas Schack Evaluating the moderating role of information seeking platforms on university students' risk perception and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana Frontiers in Communication anxiety COVID-19 Ghana professional platform risk perception social media |
| title | Evaluating the moderating role of information seeking platforms on university students' risk perception and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana |
| title_full | Evaluating the moderating role of information seeking platforms on university students' risk perception and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating the moderating role of information seeking platforms on university students' risk perception and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating the moderating role of information seeking platforms on university students' risk perception and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana |
| title_short | Evaluating the moderating role of information seeking platforms on university students' risk perception and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana |
| title_sort | evaluating the moderating role of information seeking platforms on university students risk perception and anxiety during the covid 19 pandemic in ghana |
| topic | anxiety COVID-19 Ghana professional platform risk perception social media |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1035593/full |
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