Association between watching wide show as a reliable COVID-19 information source and preventive behaviors: A nationwide survey in Japan.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Current pandemic prompted a surge in the television (TV) news watching. However, its influence is poorly understood. In Japan, wide show, a major genre of soft news TV programs, broadcasted COVID-19 for long hours, and was pointed out that it broadcasted COVID-19 sensationally, arousing fear and anxiety, and that it criticized individuals gathering in closed places. Thus, wide show may promote preventive behaviors but also produce fear or anxiety and aggressiveness towards others not engaging in preventive behaviors. We examined this issue using large-scale nationwide data.

Methods

We analyzed the cross-sectional data of 25,482 individuals from the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey conducted in 2020. Participants reported the type of COVID-19 informatio

SUBMITTER: Kuwahara K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10089324 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature