ABSTRACT As a part of the EIS-COVID project on the access and use of information during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile, the objective of this paper was to ascertain how people’s informational environment was constructed during the first stage of the pandemic. It discusses the results of a qualitative study of people belonging to risk groups for COVID-19: people over 18 and under 65 with chronic diseases (hypertension and diabetes) and people 65 and over. Ninety semi-structured interviews were conducted in the Metropolitan and Valparaíso regions between September 2020 and January 2021. The results reveal the problematic nature of the information overload encountered by these groups and the strategies they used to navigate it: a) information avoidance; b) content corroboration and active search for reliable sources; and c) differentiated media use.

RESUMEN Este artículo se enmarca en el proyecto EIS-COVID sobre acceso y uso de información en el contexto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en Chile. Su objetivo fue conocer cómo se constituyó el entorno informativo de las personas en la primera etapa de la pandemia. El artículo muestra los resultados de un estudio cualitativo enfocado en personas pertenecientes a grupos de riesgo por COVID-19: personas mayores de 18 y menores de 65 años con enfermedades crónicas (hipertensión y diabetes) y personas de 65 años y más. Se realizaron 90 entrevistas semiestructuradas en las regiones Metropolitana y de Valparaíso entre septiembre de 2020 y enero de 2021. Se identifica la problemática de la sobrecarga informativa para estos grupos y las estrategias que utilizaron para enfrentarla: a) la evitación de información, b) la corroboración de contenidos y búsqueda activa de fuentes confiables, o c) el uso diferenciado de medios.

RESUMEN Este artículo se enmarca en el proyecto EIS-COVID sobre acceso y uso de información en el contexto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en Chile. Su objetivo fue conocer cómo se constituyó el entorno informativo de las personas en la primera etapa de la pandemia. El artículo muestra los resultados de un estudio cualitativo enfocado en personas pertenecientes a grupos de riesgo por COVID-19: personas mayores de 18 y menores de 65 años con enfermedades crónicas (hipertensión y diabetes) y personas de 65 años y más. Se realizaron 90 entrevistas semiestructuradas en las regiones Metropolitana y de Valparaíso entre septiembre de 2020 y enero de 2021. Se identifica la problemática de la sobrecarga informativa para estos grupos y las estrategias que utilizaron para enfrentarla: a) la evitación de información, b) la corroboración de contenidos y búsqueda activa de fuentes confiables, o c) el uso diferenciado de medios.

ABSTRACT As a part of the EIS-COVID project on the access and use of information during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile, the objective of this paper was to ascertain how people’s informational environment was constructed during the first stage of the pandemic. It discusses the results of a qualitative study of people belonging to risk groups for COVID-19: people over 18 and under 65 with chronic diseases (hypertension and diabetes) and people 65 and over. Ninety semi-structured interviews were conducted in the Metropolitan and Valparaíso regions between September 2020 and January 2021. The results reveal the problematic nature of the information overload encountered by these groups and the strategies they used to navigate it: a) information avoidance; b) content corroboration and active search for reliable sources; and c) differentiated media use.

Background: People base their health decisions on the information they obtained from their environment, which includes health care providers, the media, and interpersonal networks. Learning about patterns of information acquisition allows the identification of people's preferred sources. Aim: To report the results of a survey about health information seeking, source trust, and routine exposure to health information. Material and Methods: A health information trend survey, modeled after the U.S. National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey was answered by 1411 Chilean participants aged over 25 years. Results: Seventy six percent of respondents sought general health information at least once. Internet (32%) and the health care center (30%) were the most common sources. One fourth of respondents sought, during the last 30 days, information about physical activity, and one third about fruit and vegetable consumption. Physicians and other healthcare workers were the most trusted sources, but only half of participants recalled having received a recommendation from them regarding the practice of healthy behaviors. Conclusions: This survey about health information seeking is a valuable tool to learn about people's health information environments and how these contents can influence their practices.

Abstract: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has brough with it an information avalanche; thus, it is key to understand how people are informing themselves in this context. This study seeks to understand the patterns of information seeking, scanning or incidental exposure, and avoidance of coronavirus content in Chile, and to identify the individual characteristics that explain the three information behaviors. A survey of 3,592 people was conducted combining online (n=1,891) and telephone application (n=1,701) between September and November 2020. The data analysis included descriptive statistics and multivariate regression models. Scanning was found to be more prevalent than seeking. The preferred source for scanning was television while digital media were the most central for seeking. Age was negatively associated with scanning and seeking, and positively associated with avoidance. Women sought less than men and avoided more. People with lower educational levels scanned and sought to a lesser degree and avoided more than those with a higher education. This work shows important gaps in access to information about the pandemic by age, gender, and educational level in Chile. These findings underscore the importance of making active efforts to reach the audience segments less motivated to access to this content and they highlight the centrality of television in reaching these users.

Resumen: La pandemia de SARS-CoV-2 ha traído consigo una avalancha informativa, por lo que resulta clave comprender cómo se están informando las personas en este contexto. Este estudio busca conocer los patrones de búsqueda informativa, escaneo o exposición incidental y evitación de contenidos sobre coronavirus en Chile, e identificar las características individuales que explican las tres conductas informativas. Se realizó una encuesta a 3592 personas que combinó aplicación en línea (n=1891) y telefónica (n=1701) entre septiembre y noviembre de 2020. El análisis de datos incluyó descriptivos y modelos multivariados de regresión. Se encontró que el escaneo era más prevalente que la búsqueda. La fuente preferida de escaneo fue la televisión y la de búsqueda, los medios digitales. La edad se asoció negativamente con escaneo y búsqueda y positivamente con evitación. Las mujeres buscaron menos que los hombres y evitaron en mayor medida. Las personas con menor nivel educacional escanearon y buscaron en menor grado y evitaron más que aquellas con mayor escolaridad. Este trabajo muestra importantes brechas de acceso a información acerca de la pandemia por edad, género y nivel educacional en Chile. Los hallazgos subrayan la importancia de realizar esfuerzos específicos para llegar a los segmentos menos motivados en acceder a estos contenidos y destacan la centralidad de la televisión para alcanzar a los usuarios que hacen menos esfuerzos activos.

Resumo: A pandemia de SARS-CoV-2 trouxe consigo uma avalanche informativa; e, portanto, é fundamental entender como as pessoas estão obtendo informações nesse contexto. O presente estudo visa compreender os padrões de busca de informações, escaneamento ou exposição incidental e evitação de conteúdo de coronavírus no Chile, e identificar as características individuais que explicam os três comportamentos de informação. Uma pesquisa com 3.592 pessoas foi realizada combinando aplicativo online (n= 1.891) e telefone (n=1.701) entre setembro e novembro de 2020. A análise dos dados incluiu estatística descritiva e modelos de regressão multivariada. O escaneamento foi mais prevalente do que a busca. A fonte preferida para escaneamento foi a televisão, enquanto a mídia digital foi a mais central para busca. A idade foi associada negativamente com o escaneamento e a busca, e positivamente associada com a evitação. As mulheres procuravam menos do que os homens e evitavam mais. Pessoas com menor nível educacional escanearam e procuraram em menor grau e evitaram mais do que aquelas com ensino superior. Este trabalho mostra importantes lacunas no acesso à informação sobre a pandemia por idade, gênero e escolaridade no Chile. As conclusões reforçam a importância de um esforço ativo para atingir os segmentos menos motivados a acessar esses conteúdos e destacam a centralidade da televisão no alcance desses usuários que fazem menos esforço ativo.