COVID-19 topics

A mixed-method analysis of the convergence and divergence of COVID-19 topics in newspapers and interviews

In the face of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, various government-led initiatives and individual actions (e.g., lockdowns, social distancing, and masking) have resulted in diverse pandemic experiences. This study aims to explore these varied experiences to inform more proactive responses for future public health crises. Employing a novel “big-thick” data approach, we analyze and compare key pandemic-related topics that have been disseminated to the public through newspapers with those collected from the public via interviews. Specifically, we utilized 82,533 U.S. newspaper articles from January 2020 to December 2021 and supplemented this “big” dataset with “thick” data from interviews and focus groups for topic modeling. Identified key topics were contextualized, compared and visualized at different scales to reveal areas of convergence and divergence. We found seven key topics from the “big” newspaper dataset, providing a macro-level view that covers public health, policies and economics. Conversely, three topics were derived from the “thick” interview data, offering a micro-level view that focuses more on individuals’ experiences, emotions and concerns. A notable finding is the public’s concern about the reliability of news information, suggesting the need for further investigation on the impacts of mass media in shaping the public’s perception and behavior. Overall, by exploring the convergence and divergence in identified topics, our study offers new insights into the complex impacts of the pandemic and enhances our understanding of key issues both disseminated to and resonating with the public, paving the way for further health communication and policy-making.

Figure 1. An overview of the research outline.

Identified topics from newspaper articles

  • Topic 1-Public Health & Vaccine Deployment:

    • This topic focuses on vaccine deployment and disease control.

  • Topic 2-Community Health & Vaccination:

    • The second topic shows the granular aspects of vaccination administration and its impact on community health.

  • Topic 3-Societal Impacts:

    • This topic captures the profound societal impacts of the pandemic.

  • Topic 4-Community Responses:

    • The next topic focuses on the challenges faced by healthcare systems and the responses across communities.

  • Topic 5-Safety Measures:

    • This topic contains information about the safety measures implemented during the pandemic.

  • 6-Presidential Election:

    • The sixth topic details the complexities of the U.S. presidential election during the pandemic.

  • Topic 7-Economic Impacts & Corporate Strategies:

    • The fianl topic anchors on the economic impact of the pandemic and the corresponding strategies employed by corporations.

Figure 2. The distribution of identified topics by different scales.
Figure 3. The spatial distribution of identified topics across different regions in New York State.

Identified topics from interviews

  • Topic 1-News Broadcasting & Trust:

    • This topic focuses on the sources of information about the pandemic and vaccination, which aligns with the interview questions (i.e., interview question orientated).

  • Topic 2-People & Everyday life:

    • The second topic centers on how the pandemic has affected people’s everyday life and personal health precautions.

  • Topic 3-Mandates & Mental health:

    • This topic anchors on the impact of government mandates during the pandemic, including quarantine, work-from-home orders, travel restrictions, social distancing guidelines, and lockdowns.