With the COVID-19 pandemic upending life as we know it, researchers in  West Virginia University’s  Eberly College of Arts and Sciences are taking quick action to study how people from Appalachia to Europe are responding to the pressure this crisis has placed on their communities.

Daniel Totzkay, an assistant professor of  communication studies, recognizes that the spread of the coronavirus has led to extensive misinformation. While most of the recommendations, like teleworking and avoiding large crowds and public transportation, are appropriate for urban areas, these tactics are less relevant for rural areas.

“This study came together just as all of the stay-at-home orders went through, and especially at that time, there seemed to be so much competing information in the news and in our own social networks about what you should or shouldn’t do,” Totzkay said. “That continues today with an oversaturation of information on how serious COVID-19 is, what someone should do about it, how effective things are at protecting you and what is happening within the healthcare system.” 

Supported by a National Science Foundation RAPID award, funding dedicated to quick-response projects supporting severe or urgent situations, he intends to respond to this gap by investigating how rural populations in Appalachia are adapting to this emerging public health crisis.

Totzkay, an expert in health communications, put together an interdisciplinary team of researchers from WVU to study Appalachia from a wide range of perspectives. These researchers include  Shari Steinman ( Psychology),  Jamison Conley ( Geography),  Megan Dillow (Communication Studies),  Alan Goodboy (Communication Studies),  Lynne Cossman ( Sociology and Anthropology) and  Matthew Jacobsmeier ( Political Science).