• Yu Ri Lee, Ju Yeon Lee, In Hoo Park, Mina Kim, Min Jhon, Ju Wan Kim, Seunghyong Ryu, Jae Min Kim, and Sung Wan Kim.
• Department of Social Welfare, Nambu University, Gwangju, Korea.
• J. Korean Med. Sci. 2020 Dec 14; 35 (48): e426e426.

BackgroundWe examined the effects of mass media usage on people's level of knowledge about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), fear of infection, prejudice towards infected people, and anxiety level. In addition, we investigated whether knowledge about COVID-19 can reduce fear, prejudice, and anxiety.MethodsWe performed an anonymous online survey in 1,500 residents aged 19-65 years between April 24 and May 5 of 2020. Anxiety level was assessed using the generalized anxiety disorder-7 scale. We used a questionnaire to investigate COVID-19-related media use, knowledge about COVID-19, fear of infection, and prejudice towards infected people. We analyzed the relationships among the variables using the structural equation model.ResultsMedia use had significant effects on fear of infection, prejudice against infected people, and anxiety. Knowledge about COVID-19 had a significant protective effect on fear of infection, prejudice against infected people, and anxiety. However, the effect of media use on knowledge about COVID-19 was not statistically significant. There was a partial mediating effect of prejudice against infected people and fear of infection on media usage and anxiety.ConclusionOur study demonstrated significant effects of mass media coverage regarding COVID-19 on fear, prejudice, and anxiety. While knowledge about COVID-19 could decrease fear, prejudice, and anxiety, the use of mass media did not enhance this knowledge. Medical societies should guide mass media reporting of COVID-19 and provide appropriate public education.© 2020 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

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