Evaluating the Impact of Verified Government Accounts on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Intentions of Saudi Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Governments utilize various media channels to disseminate knowledge pertaining to infectious diseases such as COVID-19. When it was declared a pandemic, society began to depend on the media for critical information and countermeasures that would facilitate tackling the virus. The main objective of this research is to examine the impact of verified Saudi government accounts across various media outlets on respondents’ knowledge, attitudes, and intentions regarding COVID-19. A structured online questionnaire was distributed and 315 responses were used for analysis. The results were analyzed using SPSS. The results indicate that the residents of Saudi Arabia have adequate knowledge concerning the symptoms, precautionary measures, and modes of transmission of COVID-19. The respondents have gained this knowledge from verified Saudi government accounts across various media outlets, most prominently via social media.