Information Dissemination During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh
The main aim of this study is to identify the role of information dissemination on urban and rural citizens of Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of misinformation in this process. The study also aimed at finding appropriate counter misinformation strategies regarding COVID-19. An...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://data.doi.or.kr/10.1633/JISTaP.2022.10.4.6 |
| _version_ | 1828084844219858944 |
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| author | Abu Sayed Md. Ziaul Haque Md. Rifat Mahmud |
| author_facet | Abu Sayed Md. Ziaul Haque Md. Rifat Mahmud |
| author_sort | Abu Sayed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The main aim of this study is to identify the role of information dissemination on urban and rural citizens of Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of misinformation in this process. The study also aimed at finding appropriate counter misinformation strategies regarding COVID-19. An online questionnaire was prepared to collect the viewpoints of the urban and rural citizens of Bangladesh regarding dissemination of information during COVID-19, misinformation regarding COVID-19, and counter misinformation strategies. Along with demographic and general information, a five-point Likert scale was used to measure COVID-19 related misinformation beliefs and how to counter them. Chi square tests were used to determine the association between current residency, information sources, the importance of information dissemination, reactions after getting COVID related information, and evaluative steps after getting information and before disseminating it. Additionally, nonparametric Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted to know the significance of difference in respondents’ assessment on COVID-19 related misinformation in terms of their demographic characteristics. Cronbach’s alpha score was obtained to see the reliability of the questionnaire items. The current study reveals that both urban and rural citizens of Bangladesh are influenced by information dissemination regarding COVID-19 and they have lower level of misinformation belief. The respondents have differences in misinformation belief by different demographic groups. Respondents’ educational status, information literacy, sources of getting information, and evaluative steps after getting information have significant differences in misinformation belief. The study also noticed the support of respondents for countering misinformation strategies regarding COVID-19. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T04:31:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a9a1212035bd49af9e78b82e6d015e5d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2287-9099 2287-4577 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T04:31:45Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-a9a1212035bd49af9e78b82e6d015e5d2022-12-29T05:45:12ZengKorea Institute of Science and Technology InformationJournal of Information Science Theory and Practice2287-90992287-45772022-12-0110410.1633/JISTaP.2022.10.4.6JISTaP.2022.10.4.6Information Dissemination During the COVID-19 Pandemic in BangladeshAbu Sayed0Md. Ziaul Haque1Md. Rifat Mahmud2Information Science and Library Management, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh E-mail: abusayed-2015014421@islm.du.ac.bdInformation Science and Library Management, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh E-mail: ziaul-2015614416@islm.du.ac.bdInformation Science and Library Management, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh E-mail: rifat-2015615811@islm.du.ac.bdThe main aim of this study is to identify the role of information dissemination on urban and rural citizens of Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of misinformation in this process. The study also aimed at finding appropriate counter misinformation strategies regarding COVID-19. An online questionnaire was prepared to collect the viewpoints of the urban and rural citizens of Bangladesh regarding dissemination of information during COVID-19, misinformation regarding COVID-19, and counter misinformation strategies. Along with demographic and general information, a five-point Likert scale was used to measure COVID-19 related misinformation beliefs and how to counter them. Chi square tests were used to determine the association between current residency, information sources, the importance of information dissemination, reactions after getting COVID related information, and evaluative steps after getting information and before disseminating it. Additionally, nonparametric Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted to know the significance of difference in respondents’ assessment on COVID-19 related misinformation in terms of their demographic characteristics. Cronbach’s alpha score was obtained to see the reliability of the questionnaire items. The current study reveals that both urban and rural citizens of Bangladesh are influenced by information dissemination regarding COVID-19 and they have lower level of misinformation belief. The respondents have differences in misinformation belief by different demographic groups. Respondents’ educational status, information literacy, sources of getting information, and evaluative steps after getting information have significant differences in misinformation belief. The study also noticed the support of respondents for countering misinformation strategies regarding COVID-19.https://data.doi.or.kr/10.1633/JISTaP.2022.10.4.6information disseminationmisinformationcounter misinformation strategiescovid-19bangladesh |
| spellingShingle | Abu Sayed Md. Ziaul Haque Md. Rifat Mahmud Information Dissemination During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice information dissemination misinformation counter misinformation strategies covid-19 bangladesh |
| title | Information Dissemination During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh |
| title_full | Information Dissemination During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh |
| title_fullStr | Information Dissemination During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh |
| title_full_unstemmed | Information Dissemination During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh |
| title_short | Information Dissemination During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh |
| title_sort | information dissemination during the covid 19 pandemic in bangladesh |
| topic | information dissemination misinformation counter misinformation strategies covid-19 bangladesh |
| url | https://data.doi.or.kr/10.1633/JISTaP.2022.10.4.6 |
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