Local-Level Information-Seeking in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Repertoire Approach

Abstract

What types of sources did people seek out for local information about COVID-19? In this study, we explore the information-seeking repertoires that Illinois residents had for obtaining information about the spread of COVID-19 within their local communities. We use data from a statewide survey of adults living in Illinois to identify five distinct repertoires that differ in terms of the range of sources consulted and the level of information sought. We then examine how differences in information-seeking repertoires relate to sociodemographics, the type of geographic community respondents live in, and their level of concern about COVID-19. Our results show similarity and divergence in the ways people sought out information about COVID-19 in their local communities, with local news playing a key role in all information-seeking repertoires.