COVID-19 Information Needs and Information-Seeking Behavior of Cardiovascular Patients: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Patients with serious diseases need to have further access to reliable information regarding how to take care of themselves against COVID-19. Objective: This study endeavored to elucidate COVID-19 information needs and information-seeking behaviors of cardiovascular patients hospitalized in the hospitals of Isfahan, Iran. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using content analysis in 2020. The population was 17 cardiovascular patients referred to the Shahid Chamran Hospital of Isfahan, who were selected using the purposive sampling method. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed through continuous thematic analysis. Results: The findings showed four categories and ten sub-categories as follows: information needs (general information regarding COVID-19, prevention methods, and treatment methods), information resources (reliable information resources and unreliable information resources), information validation (using formal and informal resources), and information-seeking barriers (media-related, political, economical, and COVID-19-related barriers). Conclusion: Cardiovascular patients are in serious need of awareness-raising concerning COVID-19 to take care of themselves. This study's results could help health education policy-makers of Iran pinpoint the information needs of high-risk patients and provide these patients access to reliable information while preventing damages due to misinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.