Abstract

OLIVERACARHUAZ, Edith Soledad; PULIDO CAPURRO, Víctor Manuel; ACEVEDO FLORES, Jessica Elizabeth  and  YUPANQUI LORENZO, Daniel Edgardo. Relevant aspects of the infodemic from a transgenerational perspective: the Peruvian case. Revista San Gregorio [online]. 2021, vol.1, n.48, pp.15-31. ISSN 2528-7907.  https://doi.org/10.36097/rsan.v0i48.1701.

The objective of the study was to analyze the access, action and reaction of young people, adults and older adults as relevant aspects of the infodemic. Given this, a quantitative, observational, cross-analytical study was carried out. The sample was of 503 people between the ages of 20 and 70 in Lima, Peru: young people (28.0%), adults (59.4%) and older adults (12.5%); 44.0% men and 56.0% women. The evaluation instrument was a survey composed of 12 items showing evidence of validity. The results showed that young people and adults make greater use of Facebook for information, while older adults use instant messaging (WhatsApp) for the same purpose. It is the older adults who maintain a tendency to share information without contrasting the veracity, unlike young people and adults. Young people are looking for trusted sources such as official websites, unlike adults and older adults. The effect of the infodemic causes emotional effects on a higher level in older adults. It is concluded that the infodemic causes a set of social phenomena that alters public health, generates anxiety, stress and depression that overflows in behaviors such as self-medication, search for alternative medicine and creation of conspiracy theories.

Keywords : infodemic; COVID 19; pandemic; transgenerational; public health.

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