Abstract
In 2014, a water crisis emerged in Flint, Michigan. Using uses and gratifications theory as the guiding framework, this study examines if crisis-related media uses, informational needs, and source preferences are related to respondents’ gender and/or whether or not respondents had children. A random sample of 208 Flint residents yielded results that are largely consistent with extant research, although minor nuances were found. Media uses, preferred informational sources, and desire to receive future crisis-related health information varied between women and men. Women reported significantly higher use of Facebook and Instagram. However, there were not significant differences between genders or respondents with/without children regarding their future informational needs about crisis-related health topics. Results are discussed in relation to extant research, theory, and praxis. Limitations and future research are also discussed.
DOI
10.30658/jicrcr.3.2.2
Author ORCID Identifier
Ashleigh M. Day: 0000-0003-3212-2611
Sydney O'Shay-Wallace: 0000-0002-6880-4561
Matthew W. Seeger: 0000-0002-5585-3081
Shawn P. McElmurry: 0000-0001-7398-431X
Recommended Citation
Day, A. M., O’Shay-Wallace, S., Seeger, M. W., & McElmurry, S. P. (2020). Gender and presence of children: Examining media uses, informational needs, and source preferences during the Flint, Michigan, water crisis. Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research, 3(2), 141-178. https://doi.org/10.30658/jicrcr.3.2.2
Included in
Emergency and Disaster Management Commons, Environmental Public Health Commons, Fresh Water Studies Commons, Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, Health Communication Commons, Mass Communication Commons, Maternal and Child Health Commons, Other Communication Commons, Other Food Science Commons, Other Medicine and Health Sciences Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons, Social Media Commons, Water Resource Management Commons
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