Abstract:The elderly population is one of the most vulnerable groups in the COVID-19 pandemic. Adult children provide the most important social support to the elderly, and also serve as one of the most important information sources for this group. Family communication pattern is a critical factor that affects the efficiency and the effectiveness in health communication in a family setting. Conversation orientation predicts family members' positive health attitudes and behaviors, while conformity orientation predicts health issues concealment.
Based on FCP, the study examines the effects of intergenerational communication on the elder’s health information seeking and health behaviors in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Via a survey of 193 elderly people (mean age=49.18 years), the results indicate that family communication orientation (conformity/conversation orientation) is related to interpersonal discussions about COVID-19 and preventive behaviors against COVID-19. COVID-19 discussion served as a mediator between family communication orientation and negative emotions as well as preventive measures. In particular, intergenerational communication about scientific knowledge mediated the effects of family communication orientation and preventive measures; disputed communication over COVID-19 topics mediated the effects of conformity orientation on negative emotions.
The reverse socialization from youth to the elderly can significantly enhance the elderly's emotional health as well as preventive behaviors, and bear important practical implications for disease prevention and health literacy enhancement among the elderly populations. The conversation orientation increases the elder's health knowledge and behaviors, and strengthens the emotional bonding and mutual understanding between the elder and their children. Conformity orientation increases intergeneration differences and brings more negative emotions and unpleasant communications to the elder. These unpleasant family communications further contribute toward hindering their health literacy improvement for a long time.
The findings enrich the horizon of intergenerational communication in health communication, provide empirical evidences for reverse socialization in the health context, and offer valuable suggestions for promoting health behaviors among the aging populations. Health intervention should consider adult children as a key stakeholder and leverage their role in promoting health behaviors among the elderly. They should be advised with strategies that facilities intergenerational health communication and health literacy enhancement. The elderly should be advised to cultivate conversation orientation in family communication.
龚婉祺 郭沁 蒋莉. 健康传播中的反哺效应:代际沟通对中老年人新型冠状病毒防疫行为影响研究[J]. 浙江大学学报(人文社会科学版), 0, (): 1-.
Gong Wanqi Guo Qin Jiang Li. The Effects of Family Communication Patterns on Elderly’s Coping Behavior with Epidemic Diseases. JOURNAL OF ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY, 0, (): 1-.