Data for Progress COVID-19 e tecnologias de informação e comunicação a domicílios

Abstract

Population aging is a worldwide phenomenon that has been changing the conformation of society. Information and communication technologies provide a space capable of generating virtual connections between people and the information environment. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way people relate to each other because of the care needed to prevent the spread of the disease. Among the preventive measures are changes in hygiene habits and social distancing. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the use of the internet by the elderly and non-elderly in the search for health information in Brazil in the pre-pandemic period, and to analyze the behavior of citizens in relation to the search for information and hygiene measures and the level of concern during the Covid-19 pandemic. Secondary microdata bases from the ICT Households 2019 and Data for Progress Covid-19 surveys were used. Chi-square, Kruskal-Walilis, Student's t tests were used. The ICT Households 2019 survey showed that computer skills did not show a significant difference in relation to age group. There was an association regarding lack of need, interest, location, security or privacy concerns, and device type. The use of the internet to search for health information was significantly associated with non-elderly individuals. The Data For Progress survey, on the other hand, showed a significant difference for the use of masks, avoided crowding in public places, does not socialize at all, local open TV, local printed newspaper and the impact of the pandemic on health. The use of ICT occurs unequally between elderly and non-elderly individuals, and there is a difference in the search for health information relating these groups. The ICTs most used by the elderly in the search for information about the pandemic have a local character. This group showed to be more concerned about health and to practice more protective measures against Covid-19.