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News media and health behaviors: What can we learn from COVID-19?

Author

Listed:
  • Guanlin Gao

    (Chaminade University of Honolulu)

  • Danyang Li

    (Hofstra University)

Abstract

Understanding how media influences public health behaviors is crucial, given its essential role in health communication, education, and the promotion of health behaviors. This study investigates how news media choices influence people's knowledge and behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. We administered a cross-sectional survey to 662 U.S. residents and collected their news media choices, personal characteristics, and knowledge and preventative measures taken against COVID-19. Our results show that news media choice is strongly correlated with people's knowledge and health behaviors such as social distancing and wearing a mask in public. Although receiving information from both left- and right-leaning media negatively impacts the respondents' performance in the knowledge test, exposure to news media from both sides increases their likelihood of practicing social distancing. Political views, race, and income level also contribute to one's knowledge and health behaviors. Based on our findings, we recommend coordination efforts with news media in health promotion and education.

Suggested Citation

  • Guanlin Gao & Danyang Li, 2025. "News media and health behaviors: What can we learn from COVID-19?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 45(1), pages 314-320.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-24-00271
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    File URL: http://www.accessecon.com/Pubs/EB/2025/Volume45/EB-25-V45-I1-P29.pdf
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Media choice; public health; health behaviors; political views; social distancing; wearing masks; COVID-19 global pandemic;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • M3 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising

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