Associations between the TV program preferences of older adults and their COVID-19-related fear during the pandemic: A quantitative study in China

Abstract

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic led to social distancing and lockdowns that severely affected individuals’ (especially elderly people’s) habits and mental health. The pandemic forced people to stay indoors, limiting their social interactions and increasing television viewing. However, little research has examined older adults’ television preferences during the pandemic. In this study, we examined the television program preferences of older Chinese adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigated the correlations between their preferences and their fear of the virus. We conducted a questionnaire survey among 405 older Chinese adults. The findings revealed that the participants preferred news, service, drama, and documentary programs, and they also favored family affection, friendship, current affairs, and health program topics. Notably, we found a negative correlation between a preference for dramas, and a positive correlation between preferences for literature and action programs, and the fear of the virus. These results provide valuable insights into the media preferences of older adults during pandemics and can be used to inform media strategies that cater to their needs.

Keywords

• TV programs
• older adults
• COVID-19
• mass media
• Chinese TV