A sample of 2040 adults (Table 1) was achieved through YouGov’s non-probabilistic sampling method. Figure 1 is a significance map which details the directionality and the level of significance associated with responses and the panel of pre-specified demographic characteristics.
99% (2024/2040) of the sample cohort have access to a personal digital device (Question 1). Smartphones and laptops/personal computers have the highest penetrance at 88% (1788/2040) and 84% (1719/2040) across the cohort respectively. 61% (1239/2040) of the cohort own tablet computers. Smartwatches (211/2040, 10%) and wearable fitness trackers (391/2040, 19%) were less frequently owned by respondents.
With respect to age, access to personal computers/laptops is stable through to the 70+ age group (337/377 (89%) in 18-29 age group compared to 215/259 (83%) in the 70+ age group). In contrast, smartphone ownership declines in the 70+ age group (359/377 (95%) in the 18-29 age group compared to 171/259 (66%) in the 70+ age group). Ownership of laptops/personal computers decline with lower social grade (508/571 (89%) in AB compared to 337/449 (75%) in DE). Smartphone ownership declines with lower educational attainment groups (587/634 (93%) in the high educational attainment group compared to 434/535 (81%) in the low educational attainment group).
836/2024 (41%) of respondents state that they have used their personal digital device to access COVID-19 specific information (Question 1.1). This figure decreases with age (189/374 (51%) between ages 18-29 compared to 50/255 (20%) in those aged above 70), social grades (274/568 (48%) in AB compared to 145/442 (33%) in DE) and educational attainments cohorts (329/632 (52%) in the high educational attainment group compared to 160/529 (30%) in the low educational attainment group). Of all personal digital device activities, instant messaging (1652/2024 (82%)) was the most commonly utilised function, followed by accessing the news (1476/2024 (73%)), telephone calls (1461/2024 (72%)) and then social networking (1447/2024 (71%)).
(1) Confidence:
1423/2040 (70%) are confident at using online or app-based information to make personal health decisions (Question 2). In comparison to their reference counterparts, respondents who are female, over the age of 60 and of a lower social group are all significantly less confident in using online or app-based information to make personal health decisions (p < 0.01) (Question 2). Those above the age of 60 are consistently significantly less confident in both sourcing and using health resources to form personal health decisions regardless of digital source (internet, apps or social media) (p < 0.01) and would rather consult a clinician over the phone than an online or app-based telemedicine service (p < 0.01) (Question 3). Those from lower social groups and of lower educational attainment are significantly less confident at less confident at knowing where (Question 6.1) and how (Question 5.1) to use the internet to answer health questions (p < 0.01). There are no significant consistent findings with respect to either ethnicity or region for this domain of questions.
Four distinct clusters of responses for this domain of questions (Questions 3, 5 and 6) were identified. Panel A of Figure 2 shows the responses of each cluster to each of the constituent questions on which clustering is performed. Clusters were characterised post-hoc based on their responses as ‘Digitally confident and preferring online primary care’ (19%), ‘Digitally confident and preferring telephone primary care’ (34%), ‘Digitally cautious and preferring online primary care’ (24%) and ‘Digitally cautious and preferring telephone primary care’ (23%).
(2) Sources of information:
Respondents over the age of 40, from lower social grades and of lower educational attainment use online or app-based resources less often than their reference counterparts (p < 0.01) (Question 7). 675/2040 (34%) have not used online resources or apps to seek any COVID-19 information at all (Question 7). Approximately three times as many people over the age of 70 (124/259 (48%) compared to 43/259 (16%)) in the 18-39 age group would rather access health information from traditional (non-digital) media sources than relying upon digital media sources (Question 10). Those above the age of 60 are more likely to turn towards tabloid newspapers, broadsheet newspapers radio and television than their references counterparts (p > 0.01) whilst avoiding social media (p > 0.01). Those of lower social groups and educational attainment are less likely to use the BBC website and broadsheet newspapers (paper or online format) (p > 0.01) (Questions 8 and 9). Respondents of BAME background are also more likely to engage in many digital (non-NHS websites, tabloid newspaper website, broadsheet website, social media) and traditional information sources (print tabloid and broadsheet newspapers) (p > 0.01) than reference counterparts (Questions 8 and 9).
Five distinct clusters of responses for this domain of questions (Question 9) were identified. Panel B of Figure 2 shows the responses of each cluster to each of the constituent questions on which clustering is performed. Clusters were characterised post-hoc based on their source of information preference; ‘TV, radio and broadsheets’ (12.3%), ‘TV and radio’ (25.7%), TV and tabloids’ (14.8%), ‘TV only’ (26.4%) and ‘No traditional media’ (20.7%).
(3) Trust:
885/2040 (43%) cited ‘trust in the information found’ as the main barrier against the use of online/app-based information to guide personal health decisions, ahead of ‘knowing where to find information’ (406/2040 (20%)) and ‘knowing how to action the information found’ (379/2040 (19%)) (Question 4). Those above the age of 60 (p > 0.05), from lower social groups (p > 0.01) and of lower educational attainment (p > 0.01) are less confident in telling apart reliable COVID-19 information from unreliable information when encountered online or through apps (Question 12).
Amongst information sources, the NHS website has the highest trust rating (1661/2040 (81%)) whereas social media (1325/2040 (65%)) and tabloid newspapers (1303/2040 (64%)) has the highest distrust rating (Question 11). However, the NHS website is not as preferred by those in lower social groups (p>0.01), those of low educational attainment (p > 0.05), those above 60 (p > 0.05) and those of BAME backgrounds (p > 0.05). In addition, broadsheet newspaper sources and the BBC are not as trusted as information sources by those from low social groups and low educational attainment groups (p > 0.01).
Two distinct clusters of responses for this domain of questions (Question 11) were identified. Panel C of Figure 2 shows the responses of each cluster to each of the constituent questions on which clustering is performed. Clusters were characterised post-hoc based on their responses as either ‘mistrustful of non-NHS information’ (37.5%) or ‘Trusting of NHS, broadsheets and BBC’ (62.5%).
Scientific endorsement of information from figures, such as Professor Chris Whitty, is seen as the most important contributor towards trust (70% trust rating). Despite this high rating, in comparison to their reference groups, respondents from BAME backgrounds, lower social groups, low educational attainment groups and those who reside in the Midlands are less likely to trust information that has scientific endorsement. Moreover, the government trust rating was only 40%, with no one demographic either more or less inclined to trust government sourced information in comparison to the reference group. Lastly, those with a high education attainment (213/634) are twice as likely to double check information that they encounter through digital resources than those of a low education attainment (80/535) (Question 14).
(4) Contact tracing:
832/2040 (41%) are unlikely to engage with a digital contact tracing programme, even in the event that compliance was directly linked to easing of quarantine measures. In comparison to their respective reference groups, those above the age of 70, of the lowest social grade and those who live in the Northern regions are significantly less likely to engage in the contact tracing programme (p > 0.01) (Question 15).
With respect to industry led contact tracing apps, respondents are uncomfortable with sharing their NHS number (1524/2040 (75%)), medical history (1538/2040 (75%)) and location (1199/2040 (59%)). Those aged above 60 are significantly more uncomfortable in sharing data related to age, location and medical history when using industry led apps, in comparison to their reference counterparts (p > 0.01) (Question 17). In comparison, with respect to government led contact tracing apps, there is less discomfort at sharing NHS number (795/2040 (39%)), medical history (935/2040 (46%)) and location (772/3040 (38%)) (Question 16). With government led contact tracing apps, those of a BAME background and lower social groups are less comfortable in sharing their location than their reference counterparts (p > 0.05), whereas, those over the 40+ are more likely to share their location (p > 0.01).
Two distinct clusters of responses for this domain of questions (Questions 15, 16 and 17) were identified. Panel D of Figure 2 shows the responses of each cluster to each of the constituent questions on which clustering is performed. Clusters were characterised post-hoc based on their responses as either ‘comfortable with apps’ (59.3%) or ‘uncomfortable with apps’ (40.7%).