@article{ref1,
title="Social media overload as a predictor of depressive symptoms under the COVID-19 infodemic: a cross-sectional survey from Chinese university students",
journal="International journal of public health",
year="2023",
author="Xie, Tian and Wang, Yangyang and Cheng, Yali",
volume="68",
number="",
pages="e1606404-e1606404",
abstract="OBJECTIVES: People's mental health and digital usage have attracted widespread attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate how social media overload influenced depressive symptoms under the COVID-19 infodemic and the role of risk perception and social media fatigue. <br><br>METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted on 644 college students during the COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai, and data analysis was conducted using the PROCESS4.0 tool. <br><br>RESULTS: The findings showed that in the COVID-19 information epidemic: 1) both information overload and communication overload were significantly and positively associated with depressive symptoms; 2) risk perception of COVID-19, and social media fatigue mediated this association separately; 3) and there was a chain mediating relationship between communication overload and depressive symptoms. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Social media overload was positively associated with depressive symptoms among college students under the COVID-19 infodemic by increasing risk perception and social media fatigue. The findings sparked further thinking on how the public should correctly use social media for risk communication during public health emergencies.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1661-8556",
doi="10.3389/ijph.2023.1606404",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2023.1606404"
}