| Summary: | Introduction
Disease outbreaks affect demographic groups
differently, as evident with the COVID-19 pandemic. Public
health communication during these periods, especially on
social media, aims to encourage individuals to improve
their health by practicing healthy behaviors. However,
the management of the COVID-19 pandemic has been
significantly influenced by misinformation. This study
aimed to understand how selected demographic factors in
Nigeria influenced engagement with COVID-19 pandemic
information on social media.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey was conducted in June
2020. Data on demography, information source and media
consumption patterns, and information accuracy and
responsibility were collected through snowballing technique
and promotions through emails and social networking sites.
Results
A total of 1127 respondents participated, 59% male,
85% aged 18–45 years, and 92.1% had an undergraduate
degree or above. Most participants used social media,
especially Twitter (39.4%). About 93.1% received
misinformation about COVID-19, 82.9% believed social
media were the primary source of inaccurate information,
while 59.7% took action to verify the accuracy of the
information received on protection. Most preferred Twitter,
while older people preferred WhatsApp, and those with
the highest education used both platforms evenly. Younger
people considered international organizations most
responsible for information accuracy but also highlighted
individuals were also responsible.
Conclusions
Similar perceptions and engagement
with COVID-19 pandemic information were observed
across different demographic groups in Nigeria, with all
groups relying significantly on social media. To ensure
the availability of accurate information and appropriate
responses to COVID-19 management, more meaningful social
media engagement is required to reduce the risk of harmful
misinformation, particularly related to vaccination.
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