The article discusses factors affecting consumers’ online information behaviour, such as exposure to online information sources, information overload, cyberchondria, and Fear. Special attention is paid to the change in people's information behaviour on social media, which has yet to be investigated in the context of crisis events in the field of health care. The article emphasizes that exposure to multiple sources of information posted on social media leads to an adverse psychological response to information overload in consumers. The latter, in turn, increasingly causes a behavioural reaction in consumers. The article presents the results of an empirical study showing the relationship between exposure to information sources in social media, information overload, cyberchondria, and informational behaviour. As a result of the processing of empirical data, statistically significant quantities are presented, which establish the relationship between the observable variables. Based on structural equation modelling, the results of hypothesis testing are shown. The obtained results will contribute to the development of a new research direction in online communications and information retrieval, which is very important in the modern turbulent environment.