COVID-19 communication research and main findings
Abstract
Research conducted by UC3M MediaLab during the PredCov project on communication during the pandemic is reviewed. A national survey was conducted with 1,800 people to examine the information consumption behavior about the pandemic in Spain. The results indicated that ideology and age are determining factors influencing the choice of different sources of information, as well as the perception towards vaccines. Additionally, the survey revealed that the main sources of information consulted during the pandemic were the traditional media and health authorities. With regard to media coverage, there was a strong focus on the COVID-19 vaccines, characterized by a mostly positive tone. More in-depth reports on vaccines were published compared to the pre-pandemic period. Also, public discourse on Twitter regarding vaccines was examined, identifying a greater number of contents associated with a positive attitude towards vaccination. The analysis was extended to public discourse on Twitter in Spanish, French, English and Portuguese, during crises related to the AstraZeneca vaccine and the Omicron variant. The project closed the gap in vaccine communication research in Spain.
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References
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Funding data
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Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
Grant numbers PID2022-142755OB-I00 -
European Commission
Grant numbers Financiado con recursos React-EU del Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional “Una forma de hacer Europa”