{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,3]],"date-time":"2025-12-03T18:09:14Z","timestamp":1764785354039,"version":"3.41.2"},"reference-count":71,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,26]],"date-time":"2024-03-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1711411200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["EL"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>This paper aims to examine the impact of the COVID-19 infodemic on the public\u2019s online information behaviour, offering insights critical for shaping effective informational responses in future public health emergencies.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>This paper uses a structured online survey with 27 targeted questions using a five-point Likert scale to measure eight variables. Data analysis is conducted through structural equation modelling on 307 valid responses to rigorously test the research hypotheses.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>This paper indicates that information quality significantly impacts the public\u2019s capacity to select, share and use online information. Additionally, the comprehensibility of information plays a crucial role in shaping the public\u2019s behaviours in terms of online information exchange and usage. The credibility of information sources emerges as a key determinant influencing the public\u2019s online information selection, exchange and utilization behaviour. Moreover, social influence exerts a substantial effect on the public\u2019s online information selection, acquisition, exchange and utilization behaviour. These findings highlight the presence of universality and sociality, mediation and guidance, as well as the purposefulness and selectivity performed by the public\u2019s online information behaviour during an infodemic.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>This paper introduces a novel research model for assessing the influence and identifies the patterns of the public\u2019s online information behaviour during the COVID-19 infodemic. The findings have significant implications for developing strategies to tackle information dissemination challenges in future major public health emergencies.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/el-08-2023-0205","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,25]],"date-time":"2024-03-25T23:46:00Z","timestamp":1711410360000},"page":"288-307","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["How are you affected? 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