Older Adults Decision-Making During the COVID-19 Infodemic

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the reality disaster researchers have known all along, pre-existing inequities in society often cause extraordinary harm to previously marginalized segments of the population. During this pandemic, there are significant physical and even deadly risks for specific portions of the population, such as older adults and those with pre-existing health conditions. Meanwhile, the mixed messaging on social networks and the Web, which is composed of information and misinformation causes the so-called “infodemic.” The infodemic and the coronavirus pandemic present challenges to older adults in their decision-making. Risk communication includes the perception of risk and the exchange of real-time information, advice, and opinions between experts and people facing threats to their health, economic or social well-being. This research surveyed older adults to explore the factors that impact decision-making in response to communications disseminated to them about COVID-19 by operationalizing the Protective Action Decision-Making Model. The research questions investigate associations between behavioral changes, trust, and demographic characteristics of the respondent. Results indicate that trust in stakeholders, the state where the respondent resides, demographic characteristics, and prior disaster experience correlate with older adults’ behavioral change measured by staying indoors, wearing gloves, and wearing masks.