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Journal of equine veterinary science2020; 91; 103126; doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103126

Information-Seeking Preferences of the Colorado Equine Industry for Distribution of Disease Outbreak Information.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to learn how perceptions of accuracy and availability of sources affect how members of the Colorado equine industry seek both everyday information and information during an equine disease outbreak. A survey was distributed by email and social media to members of Colorado-based equine organizations. A total of 256 survey responses were obtained from individuals representing a spectrum of ages and roles in the Colorado equine industry. Survey participants predominantly identified as female (95.3%) and their industry role as a horse owner (41%) or a competitive (25.8%) or pleasure (13.3%) rider. Younger survey participants reported greater (P < .0001) use of social media, and both participant age (P < .015) and information source (P < .0001) affected the perception of resource accuracy. In the event of an equine disease outbreak, industry role was an important factor (P = .003) in the selection of news sources, whereas age was not (P = .19). Many participants (56%) identified disease symptoms/signs to be the most important information to be sought during a disease outbreak and most (69.9%) preferred state or veterinary resources for this information. The identification of why Colorado equine industry members access information from specific sources may guide animal health and extension professionals to tailor their online presence to best meet the communication needs of the Colorado equine industry.
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2020-05-21 PubMed ID: 32684264PubMed Central: PMC7241321DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103126Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The study investigates how perceptions of accuracy and availability of information influence information-seeking habits of members in the Colorado equine industry, especially during disease outbreaks. Key influences included the age of the individual, their specific role within the industry, and their preferred sources of information.

About the Survey

The study was conducted by distributing a survey to members of Colorado-based equine organizations. The survey was successful in collecting 256 responses,

  • The majority of participants identified as female (95.3%).
  • The participants covered various roles within the industry, including horse owners (41%), competitive riders (25.8%), and leisure riders (13.3%).

Key Findings

The researcher observed several key factors that influenced where and how these industry members seek information.

  • Younger participants were more likely to use social media for information retrieval.
  • The perceived accuracy of a source was significantly influenced by the participant’s age and the information source itself.
  • In instances of a disease outbreak, the participant’s role within the industry significantly affected their choice of news sources, while age was not as substantial a factor.

Value of the Information

The major piece of information that the participants wanted to know during a disease outbreak was identifying disease symptoms/signs, as stated by 56% of respondents. They preferred to get this information primarily from state or veterinary resources (69.9%).

Implications

The findings of this survey can help animal health and extension professionals to better understand the communication needs of the equine industry in Colorado, This allows them to tailor their online resources to better meet these needs, providing more accurate and accessible information, especially in disease outbreak scenarios.

Cite This Article

APA
Magee C, McDaniel S, Turk P, Striegel N, Roman-Muniz IN. (2020). Information-Seeking Preferences of the Colorado Equine Industry for Distribution of Disease Outbreak Information. J Equine Vet Sci, 91, 103126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103126

Publication

Journal of equine veterinary science
ISSN: 0737-0806
NlmUniqueID: 8216840
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 91
Pages: 103126
PII: S0737-0806(20)30217-3

Researcher Affiliations

Magee, Christianne
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. Electronic address: christianne.magee@colostate.edu.
McDaniel, Shelly
  • College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
Turk, Philip
  • Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC.
Striegel, Nick
  • Colorado Department of Agriculture. 305 Interlocken Parkway, Broomfield, CO.
Roman-Muniz, Ivette Noami
  • Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Colorado / epidemiology
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horses
  • Information Seeking Behavior
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

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