Changes in information-seeking patterns and perception of health crisis management in a year of COVID-19 pandemic: a repeated cross-sectional study

Aim To assess the changes in the health information search patterns related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of this information in Croatia.Methods This repeated cross-sectional study was based on an online survey among adults in Croatia from June 5 to July 5 2020 and from May 25 to June 15 2021. The survey inquired about demographic characteristics, health infor-mation search patterns, and emotional reactions to health information. The differences between the year 2020 and the year 2021 were assessed.Results The survey was completed by 569 respondents (median age 38.5 years) in 2020 and by 598 respondents (median age 40 years) in 2021. In 2020, institutional gov-ernmental bodies were perceived to be a reliable source of information, but this perception declined in 2021. Whereas in 2020 TV was the most used source of health-related in-formation, online media prevailed in 2021. After one year of the pandemic, respondents attributed significantly greater importance to the reliability of the information obtained from different sources.Conclusion Our results may be valuable in designing pub-lic health communication strategies and campaigns, in se-lecting communication channels and sources, and in tai-loring health information according to the characteristics and habits of the studied population.