Pattern of using social networks to obtain information related to COVID-19 in Iranian students

Abstract

Introduction We aimed to evaluate use of social media during the coronavirus pandemic as a source of information about COVID-19 by students. Material and methods This was a web-based study, in which the frequency and type of virtual social media used by students as a source of information about COVID-19 were evaluated by the available sampling method. The statistical population of the study consisted of 500 students of medical universities in Iran. In the first step, administrators of student groups across the country were identified and contacted and asked to assist the research team by placing a link to complete the questionnaire, after which students voluntarily completed the online questionnaire in a self-reporting manner. Results The mean age of participants was 31.29 ±10.8 years. The selection percentages based on the number of selections were: WhatsApp (35.2), Instagram (32.7), Telegram (21.2), Facebook (8.3) and other networks (2.6). Regarding the relationship between the educational level (p < 0.001) and the field of study (p < 0.01), a statistically significant difference was found for the question of which media information is more acceptable in relation to obtaining information related to COVID-19. Conclusions It was found that social media will enable these media to act as a powerful tool to change the behavior of people and promote the well-being of individuals and public health. Social media is very important in combating this contagious disease, not only to obtain information and update on it, but also to understand how it spreads, how people function and how to respond to it.