Gender differences in trusted sources of information and preventive health behaviors among Hispanic immigrants: The case of COVID-19.

With recent changes to the health information landscape, understanding how sources of health information are associated with preventive health behaviors (PHBs) remains an important area for research. In particular, understanding where structurally marginalized populations like Hispanic immigrants receive trusted health information- and how this information is associated with PHBs-is critical, given their more limited access to formal information sources. Further, how gender patterns the association between trust in information sources and PHBs is often overlooked in research on structurally marginalized groups. In this study, we examine how Hispanic immigrants' trusted sources of information are associated with PHBs protecting against COVID-19, focusing on how this association varies by gender. We leverage data from the VidaSana Study, a survey of Hispanic immigrants in Indiana, and its extension, the Hispanic COVID-19 Rapid Response Study. We first identify characteristics associated with trusting sources on COVID-19 before predicting the number of PHBs as a function of trusted information sources and gender. Results indicate that participants who trust the radio as a source of information about COVID-19 are more likely to engage in PHBs. However, interaction models show that men who do not trust radio or TV about COVID-19 are driving this association, as they are less likely to engage in PHBs. We suggest that traditional health communications sources focus on fostering trust among Hispanic men as a way to disseminate accurate and timely information about health concerns.