Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Objective
Describe COVID-19 information-seeking experiences for culturally and linguistically diverse groups in Sydney, Australia.Methods
Cross-sectional survey, translated into 11 languages; participants recruited from March 21 to July 9, 2021. Regression models identified factors associated with difficulty finding easy-to-understand COVID-19 information.Results
Across 708 participants (88% born overseas, 31% poor English proficiency), difficulty finding easy-to-understand COVID-19 information was rated 4.13 for English (95%CI: 3.85-4.41) and 4.36 for non-English language materials (95%CI: 4.07-4.66) (1 easy to 10 hard). Participants who were older (p < 0.001), had inadequate health literacy (p < 0.001), or poor English proficiency (p < 0.001) found it harder to find easy-to-understand English-language COVID-19 information. Those who had greater difficulty finding easy-to-understand non-English COVID-19 information were younger (p = 0.004), had poor English proficiency (p < 0.001), were university-educated (p = 0.05), and had spent longer living in Australia (p = 0.001). They were more likely to rely on friends and family for COVID-19 information (p = 0.02). There was significant variation in information-seeking experiences across language groups (p's < 0.001).Conclusions
Easy-to-understand and accessible COVID-19 information is needed to meet the needs of people in culturally and linguistically diverse communities.Practice implications
COVID-19 communication efforts must involve working alongside these communities to leverage existing communication channels and tailor messages.
SUBMITTER: Ayre J
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8966120 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Ayre J J Muscat D M DM Mac O O Batcup C C Cvejic E E Pickles K K Dolan H H Bonner C C Mouwad D D Zachariah D D Turalic U U Santalucia Y Y Chen T T Vasic G G McCaffery K J KJ
Patient education and counseling 20220330 8
<h4>Objective</h4>Describe COVID-19 information-seeking experiences for culturally and linguistically diverse groups in Sydney, Australia.<h4>Methods</h4>Cross-sectional survey, translated into 11 languages; participants recruited from March 21 to July 9, 2021. Regression models identified factors associated with difficulty finding easy-to-understand COVID-19 information.<h4>Results</h4>Across 708 participants (88% born overseas, 31% poor English proficiency), difficulty finding easy-to-understa ...[more]