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Stellefson M, Paige S, Wang MQ, Chaney BH. Competency-Based Recommendations for Health Education Specialists to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 among Adults with COPD. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH EDUCATION 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2020.1851825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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152
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Alanezi F, Aljahdali A, Alyousef SM, Alshaikh W, Mushcab H, AlThani B, Alghamedy F, Alotaibi H, Alrajhi S, Alabbadi D, Alanzi TM. Investigating healthcare practitioners' attitudes towards the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia: A general qualitative framework for managing the pandemic. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2020; 22:100491. [PMID: 33319030 PMCID: PMC7722503 DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2020.100491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Some previous studies have investigated the attitudes of healthcare professionals towards certain aspects of the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, some general frameworks have been proposed to manage the pandemic. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article was to analyze the attitudes of healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia towards the treatment of patients with COVID-19, work planning of practitioners, leadership approaches to manage the pandemic, sharing information strategies, medical errors, compliance with procedures, and challenges faced by the practitioners. Furthermore, another objective was to propose a general framework for managing the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia. METHODS To achieve these purposes, a survey was designed based on an online questionnaire that was initially sent via WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, and email to 336 healthcare practitioners working in 7 hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The response rate was 30.4%. RESULTS The outcomes indicated that healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia had positive attitudes towards effective communication and interaction between health professionals and patients, leadership and maintenance of team coordination, work planning, communication and cooperation between team members, training and skills development of healthcare professionals, implementing strict procedures to avoid errors and control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining an adequate supply of medicines and medical equipment, and obtaining the support of the government, the community, and the people. CONCLUSION Based on the findings, it was possible to suggest that the management of health care operations related to the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia requires effective collaboration and information sharing among various stakeholders. In this sense, communication, effective leadership, coordination and work planning, adequate treatment for patients, strict compliance with hospital rules and procedures, preventive and regulatory measures, and training and support for health professionals, were parameters considered in the general qualitative framework suggested in this study for managing the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. The propositions presented in this study can help the Saudi Arabian government implement an effective plan to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in this country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahad Alanezi
- Community College, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anan Aljahdali
- Biological Science Department, Faculty of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Seham M Alyousef
- Community and Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Department, Nursing College, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wyam Alshaikh
- King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hayat Mushcab
- Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bashair AlThani
- College of Business Administration, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatemah Alghamedy
- Community College, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hussah Alotaibi
- Art College, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sharifah Alrajhi
- Statistics Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dhabia Alabbadi
- Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Turki M Alanzi
- Health Information Management and Technology Department, College of Public Health, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
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153
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Lin D, Friedman DB, Qiao S, Tam CC, Li X, Li X. Information uncertainty: a correlate for acute stress disorder during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:1867. [PMID: 33287780 PMCID: PMC7719728 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09952-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Individuals’ stress in responding to the current COVID-19 pandemic may be exacerbated by information uncertainty driven by inconsistent, unverified, and conflicting news from various sources. The current study aims to test if information uncertainty during the COVID-19 outbreak was related to acute stress disorder (ASD) over and above other psychosocial stressors. Methods An anonymous online survey was conducted with 7800 college students throughout China from January 31 through February 11, 2020. Existing scales were modified to measure ASD and six potential stressors including information uncertainty during the COVID-19 outbreak. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to assess the unique association of information uncertainty with ASD. To minimize the effect of large sample size and also to get a sense of whether the effects of information uncertainty were similar to people at the center of the epidemic, we repeated the hierarchical regression among 10% of the students who were randomly selected from the entire sample (“10% random sample”; n = 780) and 226 students from Hubei Province where the outbreak started. Results Information uncertainty was highly prevalent among the respondents (64%). It was significantly associated with ASD beyond other key variables and potential stressors across three samples. In the hierarchical regression among the entire sample, demographic variables accounted for 9.4% of the variance in ASD. The other five stressors added 5.1% of the variance. The information uncertainty (β = .159; p < .001) explained an additional 2.1% of the variance. Likewise, the information uncertainty explained an additional 2.1 and 3.4% of the variance in ASD beyond all other variables among the 10% random sample (β = .165; p < .001) and the Hubei sample (β = .196; p < .01), respectively. Conclusion Information uncertainty is a unique correlate of psychological stress during the COVID-19 outbreak. Reducing information uncertainty is essential not only for halting virus transmission but also for mitigating negative impacts of the pandemic on people’s psychosocial wellbeing. Transparent, timely, and accurate communication can reduce public confusion, fear, and stress. Capacity building in governments, communities, and media outlets to prevent, reduce and manage information uncertainty should be a critical part of the response to an emerging global health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danhua Lin
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Daniela B Friedman
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Shan Qiao
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.,South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Room 408, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Cheuk Chi Tam
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.,South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Room 408, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA. .,South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Room 408, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
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154
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Barach P, Fisher SD, Adams MJ, Burstein GR, Brophy PD, Kuo DZ, Lipshultz SE. Disruption of healthcare: Will the COVID pandemic worsen non-COVID outcomes and disease outbreaks? PROGRESS IN PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY 2020; 59:101254. [PMID: 32837144 PMCID: PMC7274978 DOI: 10.1016/j.ppedcard.2020.101254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Barach
- Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States of America
- Jefferson College of Population Health, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Research Institute for Health Law and Science, Sigmund Freud University, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stacy D Fisher
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - M Jacob Adams
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Gale R Burstein
- Erie County Department of Health, Buffalo, NY, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, United States of America
| | - Patrick D Brophy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States of America
- Golisano Children's Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Dennis Z Kuo
- Department of Pediatrics, University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, United States of America
- Oishei Children's Hospital, Buffalo, NY, United States of America
| | - Steven E Lipshultz
- Department of Pediatrics, University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, United States of America
- Oishei Children's Hospital, Buffalo, NY, United States of America
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States of America
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155
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Hooker C, Leask J. Risk Communication Should be Explicit About Values. A Perspective on Early Communication During COVID-19. JOURNAL OF BIOETHICAL INQUIRY 2020; 17:581-589. [PMID: 33169264 PMCID: PMC7651808 DOI: 10.1007/s11673-020-10057-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
This article explores the consequences of failure to communicate early, as recommended in risk communication scholarship, during the first stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and the United Kingdom. We begin by observing that the principles of risk communication are regarded as basic best practices rather than as moral rules. We argue firstly, that they nonetheless encapsulate value commitments, and secondly, that these values should more explicitly underpin communication practices in a pandemic. Our focus is to explore the values associated with the principle of communicating early and often and how use of this principle can signal respect for people's self-determination whilst also conveying other values relevant to the circumstances. We suggest that doing this requires communication that explicitly acknowledges and addresses with empathy those who will be most directly impacted by any disease-control measures. We suggest further that communication in a pandemic should be more explicit about how values are expressed in response strategies and that doing so may improve the appraisal of new information as it becomes available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Hooker
- Sydney Health Ethics, University of Sydney, Level 1, Medical Foundation Building K25, Camperdown, NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Julie Leask
- Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, 88 Mallet St, Camperdown, NSW 2050 Australia
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156
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Alberti PM, Lantz PM, Wilkins CH. Equitable Pandemic Preparedness and Rapid Response: Lessons from COVID-19 for Pandemic Health Equity. JOURNAL OF HEALTH POLITICS, POLICY AND LAW 2020; 45:921-935. [PMID: 32464654 DOI: 10.1215/03616878-8641469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The novel coronavirus pandemic has set in high relief the entrenched health, social, racial, political, and economic inequities within American society as the incidence of severe morbidity and mortality from the disease caused by the virus appears to be much greater in black and other racial/ethnic minority populations, within homeless and incarcerated populations, and in lower-income communities in general. The reality is that the United States is ill equipped to realize health equity in prevention and control efforts for any type of health outcome, including an infectious disease pandemic. In this article, the authors address an important question: When new waves of the current pandemic emerge, or another novel pandemic emerges, how can the United States be better prepared and also ensure a rapid response that reduces rather than exacerbates social and health inequities? The authors argue for a health equity framework to pandemic preparedness that is grounded in meaningful community engagement and that, while recognizing the fundamental causes of social and health inequity, has a clear focus on upstream and midstream preparedness and downstream rapid response efforts that put social and health equity at the forefront.
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157
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Sheppard-Law S, Cruickshank M, Debono D. Mapping diversity and demographic-based changes to a pediatric population attending a specialist tertiary hospital: a retrospective review. J Clin Nurs 2020; 30:466-474. [PMID: 33174268 DOI: 10.1111/jocn.15559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIMS This study aimed to describe the demographic characteristics and to measure annual changes in composition of the paediatric population attending a specialist tertiary hospital in Sydney, Australia, between 2015 and 2017. BACKGROUND Australia has experienced steady growth in the number of people born overseas in the last fifty years thereby building a culturally and linguistically rich country. Such dynamic population changes pose a challenge to the nursing workforce, in particular how the needs of migrant families from non-English-speaking countries are accommodated. DESIGN Retrospective review of medical records. METHODS De-identified paediatric inpatient data were imported from a hospital database into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 21) database for cleaning and analysis. Strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology checklist was completed. RESULTS Paediatric inpatients born in a country other than Australia (8762, 5.7%) emigrated from 155 countries or were "born at Sea" (n = 13, 0.1%) and spoke an array of primary languages (n = 139), other than English. Whilst inpatient health service rates remained constant during the study period, an increased rate of service utilisation was reported for children born in Asia (IRR 1.3, p ≤ 0.001, 95% CI: 1.2-1.4) and in the Middle East (IRR 1.4, p ≤ 0.001, 95% CI: 1.2-1.6). Families who reported that they preferred to speak Chinese Languages, Middle Eastern languages (not Arabic) and languages of India reported increased rates. CONCLUSION Significant annual changes in composition of the paediatric population were reported. Regular analysis of local inpatient data will inform health care that is responsive to change and addresses the unique needs of diverse families. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Diversity poses a potential challenge to the nursing workforce on a daily basis and more broadly. To meet the changing needs of diverse inpatient populations, nurses will need to plan, implement and evaluate cultural competency, linguistic access, workforce diversity and the quality of care to diverse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Sheppard-Law
- Nursing Research Unit, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Nursing & Midwifery, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Marilyn Cruickshank
- Nursing Research Unit, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Nursing & Midwifery, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Deborah Debono
- Centre for Health Services Management, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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158
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Holroyd TA, Oloko OK, Salmon DA, Omer SB, Limaye RJ. Communicating Recommendations in Public Health Emergencies: The Role of Public Health Authorities. Health Secur 2020; 18:21-28. [PMID: 32078416 DOI: 10.1089/hs.2019.0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Adherence to public health recommendations is critical for public safety and well-being. Effective and appropriate communication plays an important role in whether populations trust government and public health authorities, and the extent to which people follow public health recommendations. Poor trust in communication from public health authorities can pose significant challenges for mitigating public health emergencies and maintaining health security. This study aimed to explore the importance of trust in and understanding of communication from public health authorities in improving adherence to public health recommendations, and how that communication can be improved to develop and maintain public trust, particularly in the context of public health emergencies. To understand which factors are important for public trust in communication from public health authorities, we conducted in-depth interviews (n = 25) with a racially and demographically diverse group of individuals living in Baltimore. We found that communication source and communication transparency, such as timeliness, completeness, and clarity of information, were critical constructs of trust in communication from public health authorities. We also found that many participants misunderstood the flow of information from public health authorities to news media, and many were unaware that public health authorities provide the most reliable source of health information and recommendations during a public health emergency. To ensure adherence to public health recommendations, the public needs to trust that public health authorities are providing accurate, practical, and prudent recommendations. Drawing on these results, we provide several recommendations for developing and optimizing communication from various public health authorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor A Holroyd
- Taylor A. Holroyd, MSPH, is a doctoral research assistant; Oladeji K. Oloko, MSPH, is a Research Associate; Daniel A. Salmon, PhD, is a Professor; and Rupali J. Limaye, PhD, is an Associate Scientist; all in the Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. Saad B. Omer, MBBS, PhD, is a Professor, Yale Institute for Global Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Oladeji K Oloko
- Taylor A. Holroyd, MSPH, is a doctoral research assistant; Oladeji K. Oloko, MSPH, is a Research Associate; Daniel A. Salmon, PhD, is a Professor; and Rupali J. Limaye, PhD, is an Associate Scientist; all in the Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. Saad B. Omer, MBBS, PhD, is a Professor, Yale Institute for Global Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Daniel A Salmon
- Taylor A. Holroyd, MSPH, is a doctoral research assistant; Oladeji K. Oloko, MSPH, is a Research Associate; Daniel A. Salmon, PhD, is a Professor; and Rupali J. Limaye, PhD, is an Associate Scientist; all in the Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. Saad B. Omer, MBBS, PhD, is a Professor, Yale Institute for Global Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Saad B Omer
- Taylor A. Holroyd, MSPH, is a doctoral research assistant; Oladeji K. Oloko, MSPH, is a Research Associate; Daniel A. Salmon, PhD, is a Professor; and Rupali J. Limaye, PhD, is an Associate Scientist; all in the Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. Saad B. Omer, MBBS, PhD, is a Professor, Yale Institute for Global Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Rupali J Limaye
- Taylor A. Holroyd, MSPH, is a doctoral research assistant; Oladeji K. Oloko, MSPH, is a Research Associate; Daniel A. Salmon, PhD, is a Professor; and Rupali J. Limaye, PhD, is an Associate Scientist; all in the Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. Saad B. Omer, MBBS, PhD, is a Professor, Yale Institute for Global Health, New Haven, Connecticut
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159
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Petrocchi S, Levante A, Bianco F, Castelli I, Lecciso F. Maternal Distress/Coping and Children's Adaptive Behaviors During the COVID-19 Lockdown: Mediation Through Children's Emotional Experience. Front Public Health 2020; 8:587833. [PMID: 33330330 PMCID: PMC7711130 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.587833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study focused on the psychological impact that the lockdown due to coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) had on families in Italy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Italian government imposed a strict lockdown for all citizens. People were forced to stay at home, and the length of the lockdown was uncertain. Previous studies analyzed the impact of social distance measures on individuals' mental health, whereas few studies have examined the interplay between the adults' functioning, as parents, during this period and the association with the child's adjustment. The present study tested if maternal distress/coping predicts children's behaviors during the COVID-19 lockdown, hypothesizing a mediation effect via children's emotional experience. Participants were 144 mothers (M age = 39.3, 25-52, SD = 5.6) with children aged 5-10 years (M age = 7.54, SD = 1.6, 82 boys); mothers answered to an online survey. Results indicated that mothers with higher exposure to COVID-19 showed higher levels of distress and higher display of coping attitudes, even if in the structural equation modeling model, the COVID-19 exposure was not a predictor of mothers' distress. Compared with mothers with good coping skills, mothers with higher stress levels were more likely to attribute negative emotions to their children at the expense of their positive emotions. Moreover, children's emotions acted as mediators between maternal distress/coping and children's adaptive/maladaptive behaviors. In conclusion, it is important to support parents during pandemic emergence, by providing them with adequate information to manage the relationship with their children, to reduce their level of distress and to enhance their coping abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Petrocchi
- Institute of Communication and Health, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Department of History, Society, and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
- Lab of Applied Psychology, Department of History, Society, and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Annalisa Levante
- Department of History, Society, and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
- Lab of Applied Psychology, Department of History, Society, and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Federica Bianco
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Ilaria Castelli
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Flavia Lecciso
- Department of History, Society, and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
- Lab of Applied Psychology, Department of History, Society, and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
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160
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McCormack LA, Squiers L, Frasier AM, Lynch M, Bann CM, MacDonald PDM. Gaps in Knowledge About COVID-19 Among US Residents Early in the Outbreak. Public Health Rep 2020; 136:107-116. [PMID: 33176108 DOI: 10.1177/0033354920970182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) resulting from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 began to affect the United States in early 2020. This study aimed to assess the US public's initial understanding about the disease and virus to inform public health communication efforts. METHODS We conducted a survey of US households from February 28 through March 2, 2020, using a probability-based web-panel survey of 1021 US residents. To assess knowledge about COVID-19, we asked respondents a series of 16 true/false questions. We conducted descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses to examine differences in knowledge scores based on demographic and background characteristics. RESULTS Knowledge about COVID-19 and the virus was relatively low overall at the beginning of the outbreak, with average scores of 62% on a 16-item knowledge index (ie, answers for 6 of the 16 questions were incorrect or unknown). Knowledge was especially low among people who had low education and income levels, were unemployed, were Hispanic, were non-Hispanic Black, were aged 18-24 and 35-49, indicated having "other" health insurance, and had limited exposure to information about the pandemic. Non-Hispanic Black respondents were less knowledgeable about COVID-19 and the virus at every education level compared with non-Hispanic White respondents at higher education levels. Non-Hispanic Black respondents with <high school degree were the least knowledgeable of all subgroups. CONCLUSIONS The findings of our study highlight the need for widespread, ongoing public health education about the virus and COVID-19, especially among certain populations. It is critical to effectively translate complex clinical and epidemiologic evidence into messages that most people can understand and act on during a pandemic, that combat misinformation about the virus and COVID-19, and that consider low levels of health literacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A McCormack
- 6856 RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.,Department of Health Policy & Administration, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Linda Squiers
- 6856 RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | - Molly Lynch
- 6856 RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Carla M Bann
- 6856 RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Pia D M MacDonald
- 6856 RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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161
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Communicating a Complicated Medicaid Waiver Program to Enrollees in Iowa: How Federally Qualified Health Centers Support Medicaid Members. J Ambul Care Manage 2020; 44:12-20. [PMID: 33165119 DOI: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Iowa expanded Medicaid eligibility with a waiver including a personal responsibility component. Early program evaluation revealed low compliance and awareness among members. There is little research on leveraging existing contact points in the health care system to effectively communicate with Medicaid enrollees. We interviewed outreach and enrollment staff at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to explore their work. We show that FQHCs use several strategies to enroll individuals in appropriate programs and support them in understanding and navigating their health insurance coverage. With increasingly complex Medicaid programs, this support will be more widely needed to prevent hardship and loss of coverage.
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162
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Karmegam D, Mapillairaju B. What people share about the COVID-19 outbreak on Twitter? An exploratory analysis. BMJ Health Care Inform 2020; 27:e100133. [PMID: 33214193 PMCID: PMC7678227 DOI: 10.1136/bmjhci-2020-100133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The recent outbreak of respiratory illness caused by COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, has received global attention as it has infected thousands of individuals there, and later it has also been reported from other countries internationally. This study aims at performing an exploratory study on Twitter to understand the information shared among the community regarding the COVID-19 outbreak. METHODS COVID-19 related tweets were collected from Twitter using keywords from 18 January to 25 January 2020. Top-ranking tweets were taken as samples and then categorised based on the content. Expressions or opinion tweets were analysed qualitatively to understand the mindset of the people regarding the outbreak. Theme wise reachability evaluation of the messages was also performed. RESULTS Based on the content of the tweets, five themes were evolved: (1) general information; (2) health information; (3) expressions; (4) humour and (5) others. 57.42% of messages are general information followed by expressive tweets (24.12%). Humorous messages were liked the most, whereas health information tweets were retweeted the maximum. Fear was the predominant emotion expressed in the messages. CONCLUSION The results of the study would be useful to focus on the dissemination of the right information and effective communication on Twitter related to health and outbreak management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhivya Karmegam
- Centre for Statistics, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Bagavandas Mapillairaju
- Centre for Statistics, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India
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163
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Allcott H, Boxell L, Conway J, Gentzkow M, Thaler M, Yang D. Polarization and public health: Partisan differences in social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS 2020. [PMID: 32836504 DOI: 10.3386/w26946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
We study partisan differences in Americans' response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Political leaders and media outlets on the right and left have sent divergent messages about the severity of the crisis, which could impact the extent to which Republicans and Democrats engage in social distancing and other efforts to reduce disease transmission. We develop a simple model of a pandemic response with heterogeneous agents that clarifies the causes and consequences of heterogeneous responses. We use location data from a large sample of smartphones to show that areas with more Republicans engaged in less social distancing, controlling for other factors including public policies, population density, and local COVID cases and deaths. We then present new survey evidence of significant gaps at the individual level between Republicans and Democrats in self-reported social distancing, beliefs about personal COVID risk, and beliefs about the future severity of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunt Allcott
- New York University, Microsoft Research and NBER, United States of America
| | - Levi Boxell
- Stanford University, United States of America
| | | | | | | | - David Yang
- Harvard University and NBER, United States of America
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Allcott H, Boxell L, Conway J, Gentzkow M, Thaler M, Yang D. Polarization and public health: Partisan differences in social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS 2020; 191:104254. [PMID: 32836504 PMCID: PMC7409721 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2020.104254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 365] [Impact Index Per Article: 73.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
We study partisan differences in Americans' response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Political leaders and media outlets on the right and left have sent divergent messages about the severity of the crisis, which could impact the extent to which Republicans and Democrats engage in social distancing and other efforts to reduce disease transmission. We develop a simple model of a pandemic response with heterogeneous agents that clarifies the causes and consequences of heterogeneous responses. We use location data from a large sample of smartphones to show that areas with more Republicans engaged in less social distancing, controlling for other factors including public policies, population density, and local COVID cases and deaths. We then present new survey evidence of significant gaps at the individual level between Republicans and Democrats in self-reported social distancing, beliefs about personal COVID risk, and beliefs about the future severity of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunt Allcott
- New York University, Microsoft Research and NBER, United States of America
| | - Levi Boxell
- Stanford University, United States of America
| | | | | | | | - David Yang
- Harvard University and NBER, United States of America
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Changes in COVID-19 Knowledge, Beliefs, Behaviors, and Preparedness Among High-Risk Adults from the Onset to the Acceleration Phase of the US Outbreak. J Gen Intern Med 2020; 35:3285-3292. [PMID: 32875509 PMCID: PMC7462357 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-020-05980-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The US outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) accelerated rapidly over a short time to become a public health crisis. OBJECTIVE To assess how high-risk adults' COVID-19 knowledge, beliefs, behaviors, and sense of preparedness changed from the onset of the US outbreak (March 13-20, 2020) to the acceleration phase (March 27-April 7, 2020). DESIGN Longitudinal, two-wave telephone survey. PARTICIPANTS 588 predominately older adults with ≥ 1 chronic condition recruited from 4 active, federally funded studies in Chicago. MAIN MEASURES Self-reported knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms and prevention, related beliefs, behaviors, and sense of preparedness. KEY RESULTS From the onset to the acceleration phase, participants increasingly perceived COVID-19 to be a serious public health threat, reported more changes to their daily routine and plans, and reported greater preparedness. The proportion of respondents who believed they were "not at all likely" to get the virus decreased slightly (24.9 to 22.4%; p = 0.04), but there was no significant change in the proportion of those who were unable to accurately identify ways to prevent infection (29.2 to 25.7%; p 0.14). In multivariable analyses, black adults and those with lower health literacy were more likely to report less perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 (black adults: relative risk (RR) 1.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-2.44, p = 0.02; marginal health literacy: RR 1.96, 95% CI 1.26-3.07, p < 0.01). Individuals with low health literacy remained more likely to feel unprepared for the outbreak (RR 1.80, 95% CI 1.11-2.92, p = 0.02) and to express confidence in the federal government response (RR 2.11, 95% CI 1.49-3.00, p < 0.001) CONCLUSIONS: Adults at higher risk for COVID-19 continue to lack critical knowledge about prevention. While participants reported greater changes to daily routines and plans, disparities continued to exist in perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 and in preparedness. Public health messaging to date may not be effectively reaching vulnerable communities.
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Amanzio M, Howick J, Bartoli M, Cipriani GE, Kong J. How Do Nocebo Phenomena Provide a Theoretical Framework for the COVID-19 Pandemic? Front Psychol 2020; 11:589884. [PMID: 33192929 PMCID: PMC7661580 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.589884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is a major health issue, which leads to psychological and behavioural changes. In particular, among various negative feelings, fear seems to be one of the main emotional reactions that can be as contagious as the virus itself. The actual pandemic is likely to function as an important stressor, especially in terms of chronic anxiety and lack of control over the succession of unforeseeable environmental events. In this direction, the psychological impact of previous quarantine measures showed important negative psychological effects, including post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTTS) with long-lasting effects. The presence of psychological discomfort and disturbances due to negative contextual factors can be studied using the nocebo phenomenon as a possible theoretical explanatory framework. Although in the absence of studies linking nocebo to Covid-19 and data-driven evidence, the context of the actual pandemic may be seen as a fertile ground for amplified discomfort and anxiety. The media provide dramatic and negative descriptions and often present conflicting sources of information, which can lead to physical and mental health problems, diminishing response to treatment. This can be worse when supported by conspiracy theories or misinformation. The aim of this perspective review is to propose a new theoretical framework for the COVID-19 pandemic, which should be supported by future empirical studies. In particular, the negative contextual factors, which can predispose individuals to psychological distress and the onset of the nocebo phenomena will be presented here, in order to suggest possible guidelines to mitigate the devastating effects of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Amanzio
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP-AHA), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jeremy Howick
- Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
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Parsons Leigh J, Fiest K, Brundin-Mather R, Plotnikoff K, Soo A, Sypes EE, Whalen-Browne L, Ahmed SB, Burns KEA, Fox-Robichaud A, Kupsch S, Longmore S, Murthy S, Niven DJ, Rochwerg B, Stelfox HT. A national cross-sectional survey of public perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic: Self-reported beliefs, knowledge, and behaviors. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241259. [PMID: 33095836 PMCID: PMC7584165 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Efforts to mitigate the global spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19) have largely relied on broad compliance with public health recommendations yet navigating the high volume of evolving information can be challenging. We assessed self-reported public perceptions related to COVID-19 including, beliefs (e.g., severity, concerns, health), knowledge (e.g., transmission, information sources), and behaviors (e.g., physical distancing) to understand perspectives in Canada and to inform future public health initiatives. Methods We administered a national online survey aiming to obtain responses from 2000 adults in Canada. Respondent sampling was stratified by age, sex, and region. We used descriptive statistics to summarize responses and tested for regional differences using chi-squared tests, followed by weighted logistic regression. Results We collected 1,996 eligible questionnaires between April 26th and May 1st, 2020. One-fifth (20%) of respondents knew someone diagnosed with COVID-19, but few had tested positive themselves (0.6%). Negative impacts of pandemic conditions were evidenced in several areas, including concerns about healthcare (e.g. sufficient equipment, 52%), pandemic stress (45%), and worsening social (49%) and mental/emotional (39%) health. Most respondents (88%) felt they had good to excellent knowledge of virus transmission, and predominantly accessed (74%) and trusted (60%) Canadian news television, newspapers/magazines, or non-government news websites for COVID-19 information. We found high compliance with distancing measures (80% reported self-isolating or always physical distancing). We identified associations between region and self-reported beliefs, knowledge, and behaviors related to COVID-19. Discussion We found that information about COVID-19 is largely acquired through domestic news sources, which may explain high self-reported compliance with prevention measures. The results highlight the broader impact of a pandemic on the general public’s overall health and wellbeing, outside of personal infection. The study findings should be used to inform public health communications during COVID-19 and future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanna Parsons Leigh
- Faculty of Health, School of Health Administration, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Kirsten Fiest
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Kara Plotnikoff
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Andrea Soo
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Emma E. Sypes
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Liam Whalen-Browne
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sofia B. Ahmed
- Department of Medicine and Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Karen E. A. Burns
- Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Unity Health Toronto–St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alison Fox-Robichaud
- Department of Medicine, Division of Critical Care, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shelly Kupsch
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Shelly Longmore
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Srinivas Murthy
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver British Columbia, Canada
| | - Daniel J. Niven
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Bram Rochwerg
- Department of Medicine, Division of Critical Care, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Henry T. Stelfox
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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168
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The Structure of Tweets About Vaccine Safety Between Health Organizations, Experts, and the Public: Analyzing Risk Communication Conversations. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2020; 16:927-933. [PMID: 33089770 PMCID: PMC7943953 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2020.404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Objective: This article considers how health education organizations in the World Health Organization's 9 Vaccine Safety Network (VSN) use Twitter to communicate about vaccines with the public, and whether they answer questions and engage in conversations. Almost no research in public health, to our knowledge, has explored conversational structure on social media among posts sent by different accounts. Methods: Starting with 1,017,176 tweets by relevant users, we constructed 2 corpuses of multi-tweet conversations. The first was 1,814 conversations that included VSN members directly, whereas the second was 2,283 conversations mentioning vaccines or vaccine denialism. The tweets and user metadata were then analyzed using an adaptation of rhetorical structure theory. Results: In the studied data, VSN members tweeted 12,677 times within conversations, compared to their 37,587 lone tweets. Their conversations were shorter than those in the comparison corpus (P < 0.0001), and they were involved in fewer multilogues (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: While there is diversity among organizations, most were tied to the pre-social media broadcast model. In the future, they should try to converse more, rather than tweet more, and embrace best practices in risk communication.
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Lee JGL, LePrevost CE, Harwell EL, Bloss JE, Cofie LE, Wiggins MF, Firnhaber GC. Coronavirus pandemic highlights critical gaps in rural Internet access for migrant and seasonal farmworkers: a call for partnership with medical libraries. J Med Libr Assoc 2020; 108:651-655. [PMID: 33013227 PMCID: PMC7524630 DOI: 10.5195/jmla.2020.1045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Migrant and seasonal farmworkers, who are essential workers in the coronavirus global public health emergency, face unique risks to their health as well as longstanding health inequities. This commentary highlights these risks and argues that Internet access represents an underappreciated but critical part of the public health response. The authors first discuss the unique risks farmworkers face. We note the importance of Internet access in the time of physical distancing, the fact that many health outreach workers are no longer visiting camps, the need for telemedicine infrastructure, and the role of Internet access in providing connections to families in communities of origin. We describe existing efforts that have been implemented in North Carolina to raise awareness among public health and health promotion practitioners and researchers. The current coronavirus pandemic demands the attention of medical libraries, public health practitioners, and policy makers to address the digital divide for farmworkers and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G L Lee
- , Associate Professor, Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
| | - Catherine E LePrevost
- , Teaching Associate Professor, Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University and North Carolina Agromedicine Institute, Raleigh, NC
| | - Emery L Harwell
- , Research Assistant, Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Jamie E Bloss
- , Assistant Professor, Laupus Health Sciences Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
| | - Leslie E Cofie
- , Assistant Professor, Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
| | | | - Gina C Firnhaber
- , Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
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170
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Geçer E, Yıldırım M, Akgül Ö. Sources of information in times of health crisis: evidence from Turkey during COVID-19. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GESUNDHEITSWISSENSCHAFTEN = JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 30:1113-1119. [PMID: 33072495 PMCID: PMC7552946 DOI: 10.1007/s10389-020-01393-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Aim Media as a source of information can shape public opinion regarding the COVID-19 response. Identifying how and where people seek information during the COVID-19 outbreak is vital to convey the most effective message about managing the COVID-19 crisis. The purpose of this study was to determine the sources of information and investigate the role of various demographic factors-age, gender, educational attainment and perceived economic level-on sources of information. Subject and methods An online survey (n = 4624) was conducted on Turkish public during the early stages of the COVID-19. Results The results showed that internet journalism and social media were the most preferable sources of information. Higher age, educational attainment and economic level were related to higher levels of seeking information from TV, newspaper, internet journalism and informative meetings. Females obtained information more from their friends and family and social media than males. High school graduates or below watched more TV and obtained less information from internet journalism, while university graduates sought information from their families and friends, and postgraduates attended informative meetings and read newspapers. People with medium and high economic status, respectively, watched more TV and read more newspapers, while people with low socioeconomic status attended informative meetings less. Conclusion In sum, this study provides evidence that a source of information might be influenced by demographic factors. Researchers and policymakers can use a source of information to develop crisis-response strategies by considering variations in the demographic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekmel Geçer
- Department of Psychology, Hamidiye Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Murat Yıldırım
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science and Letters, Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University, Erzurum Yolu 4 Km 04100, Merkez, Ağrı Turkey
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Ömer Akgül
- Department of Psychology, Hamidiye Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
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171
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Sutton J, Renshaw SL, Butts CT. The First 60 Days: American Public Health Agencies' Social Media Strategies in the Emerging COVID-19 Pandemic. Health Secur 2020; 18:454-460. [PMID: 33047982 DOI: 10.1089/hs.2020.0105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we capture, identify, and describe the patterns of longitudinal risk communication from public health communicating agencies on Twitter during the first 60 days of the response to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We collected 138,546 tweets from 696 targeted accounts from February 1 to March 31, 2020, employing term frequency-inverse document frequency to identify keyword hashtags that were distinctive on each day. Our team conducted inductive content analysis to identify emergent themes that characterize shifts in public health risk communication efforts. As a result, we found 7 distinct periods of communication in the first 60 days of the pandemic, each characterized by a differing emphasis on communicating information, individual and collection action, sustaining motivation, and setting social norms. We found that longitudinal risk communication in response to the COVID-19 pandemic shifted as secondary threats arose, while continuing to promote pro-social activities to reduce impact on vulnerable populations. Identifying patterns of risk communication longitudinally allows public health communicators to observe changes in topics and priorities. Observations from the first 60 days of the COVID-19 pandemic prefigures ongoing messaging needs for this event and for future disease outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeannette Sutton
- Jeannette Sutton, PhD, is an Associate Professor, College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cyber Security, University of Albany, SUNY, Albany, NY. Scott L. Renshaw is a Graduate Student and Carter T. Butts, PhD, is a Professor; both in the Department of Sociology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Scott L Renshaw
- Jeannette Sutton, PhD, is an Associate Professor, College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cyber Security, University of Albany, SUNY, Albany, NY. Scott L. Renshaw is a Graduate Student and Carter T. Butts, PhD, is a Professor; both in the Department of Sociology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Carter T Butts
- Jeannette Sutton, PhD, is an Associate Professor, College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cyber Security, University of Albany, SUNY, Albany, NY. Scott L. Renshaw is a Graduate Student and Carter T. Butts, PhD, is a Professor; both in the Department of Sociology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
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172
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Oren E, Martinez L, Hensley RE, Jain P, Ahmed T, Purnajo I, Nara A, Tsou MH. Twitter Communication During an Outbreak of Hepatitis A in San Diego, 2016-2018. Am J Public Health 2020; 110:S348-S355. [PMID: 33001731 PMCID: PMC7532315 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2020.305900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Objectives. To examine how and what information is communicated via social media during an infectious disease outbreak.Methods. In the context of the 2016 through 2018 hepatitis A outbreak in San Diego County, California, we used a grounded theory-based thematic analysis that employed qualitative and quantitative approaches to uncover themes in a sample of public tweets (n = 744) from Twitter, a primary platform used by key stakeholders to communicate to the public during the outbreak.Results. Tweets contained both general and hepatitis A-specific information related to the outbreak, restatements of policy and comments critical of government responses to the outbreak, information with the potential to shape risk perceptions, and expressions of concern regarding individuals experiencing homelessness and their role in spreading hepatitis A. We also identified misinformation and common channels of content driving themes that emerged in our sample.Conclusions. Public health professionals may identify real-time public risk perceptions and concerns via social media during an outbreak and target responses that fulfill the informational needs of those who seek direction and reassurance during times of uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyal Oren
- Eyal Oren, Purva Jain, Taufa Ahmed, and Intan Purnajo are with the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA. Lourdes Martinez and R. Eliza Hensley are with the School of Communication, San Diego State University. Atsushi Nara and Ming-Hsiang Tsou are with the Department of Geography, San Diego State University
| | - Lourdes Martinez
- Eyal Oren, Purva Jain, Taufa Ahmed, and Intan Purnajo are with the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA. Lourdes Martinez and R. Eliza Hensley are with the School of Communication, San Diego State University. Atsushi Nara and Ming-Hsiang Tsou are with the Department of Geography, San Diego State University
| | - R. Eliza Hensley
- Eyal Oren, Purva Jain, Taufa Ahmed, and Intan Purnajo are with the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA. Lourdes Martinez and R. Eliza Hensley are with the School of Communication, San Diego State University. Atsushi Nara and Ming-Hsiang Tsou are with the Department of Geography, San Diego State University
| | - Purva Jain
- Eyal Oren, Purva Jain, Taufa Ahmed, and Intan Purnajo are with the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA. Lourdes Martinez and R. Eliza Hensley are with the School of Communication, San Diego State University. Atsushi Nara and Ming-Hsiang Tsou are with the Department of Geography, San Diego State University
| | - Taufa Ahmed
- Eyal Oren, Purva Jain, Taufa Ahmed, and Intan Purnajo are with the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA. Lourdes Martinez and R. Eliza Hensley are with the School of Communication, San Diego State University. Atsushi Nara and Ming-Hsiang Tsou are with the Department of Geography, San Diego State University
| | - Intan Purnajo
- Eyal Oren, Purva Jain, Taufa Ahmed, and Intan Purnajo are with the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA. Lourdes Martinez and R. Eliza Hensley are with the School of Communication, San Diego State University. Atsushi Nara and Ming-Hsiang Tsou are with the Department of Geography, San Diego State University
| | - Atsushi Nara
- Eyal Oren, Purva Jain, Taufa Ahmed, and Intan Purnajo are with the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA. Lourdes Martinez and R. Eliza Hensley are with the School of Communication, San Diego State University. Atsushi Nara and Ming-Hsiang Tsou are with the Department of Geography, San Diego State University
| | - Ming-Hsiang Tsou
- Eyal Oren, Purva Jain, Taufa Ahmed, and Intan Purnajo are with the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA. Lourdes Martinez and R. Eliza Hensley are with the School of Communication, San Diego State University. Atsushi Nara and Ming-Hsiang Tsou are with the Department of Geography, San Diego State University
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173
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Zhao E, Wu Q, Crimmins EM, Ailshire JA. Media trust and infection mitigating behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA. BMJ Glob Health 2020; 5:e003323. [PMID: 33037063 PMCID: PMC7545496 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented public health crisis. It is becoming increasingly clear that people's behavioural responses in the USA during this fast-changing pandemic are associated with their preferred media sources. The polarisation of US media has been reflected in politically motivated messaging around the coronavirus by some media outlets, such as Fox News. This resulted in different messaging around the risks of infection and behavioural changes necessary to mitigate that risk. This study determined if COVID-related behaviours differed according to trust in left-leaning or right-leaning media and how differences changed over the first several months of the pandemic. METHODS Using the nationally representative Understanding America Study COVID-19 panel, we examine preventive and risky behaviours related to infection from COVID-19 over the period from 10 March to 9 June for people with trust in different media sources: one left-leaning, CNN and another right-leaning, Fox News. People's media preferences are categorised into three groups: (1) those who trust CNN more than Fox News; (2) those who have equal or no preferences and (3) those who trust Fox News more than CNN. RESULTS Results showed that compared with those who trust CNN more than Fox news, people who trust Fox News more than CNN engaged in fewer preventive behaviours and more risky behaviours related to COVID-19. Out of five preventive and five risky behaviours examined, people who trust Fox News more than CNN practised an average of 3.41 preventive behaviours and 1.25 risky behaviours, while those who trust CNN more than Fox News engaged in an average of 3.85 preventive and 0.94 risky behaviours, from late March to June. The difference between these two groups widened in the month of May (p≤0.01), even after controlling for access to professional information and overall diversity of information sources. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that behavioural responses were divided along media bias lines. In such a highly partisan environment, false information can be easily disseminated, and health messaging, which is one of the few effective ways to slowdown the spread of the virus in the absence of a vaccine, is being damaged by politically biased and economically focused narratives. During a public health crisis, media should reduce their partisan stance on health information, and the health messaging from neutral and professional sources based on scientific findings should be better promoted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erfei Zhao
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Qiao Wu
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Eileen M Crimmins
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jennifer A Ailshire
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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174
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Jeżewska-Zychowicz M, Plichta M, Królak M. Consumers' Fears Regarding Food Availability and Purchasing Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Importance of Trust and Perceived Stress. Nutrients 2020; 12:nu12092852. [PMID: 32957585 PMCID: PMC7551381 DOI: 10.3390/nu12092852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate whether trust in circulating information and perceived stress are predictors of consumers’ fear of limited access to food as well as predictors of food purchase behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) technique was used to collect data from 1033 Polish adults in March 2020. Logistic regression was used to estimate the likelihood of fear of limited access to food and the likelihood of purchase of larger amounts of food than usual. The likelihood of experiencing fear of limited access to food increased by 16% with higher perceived stress, by 50% with higher trust in “Mass media and friends”, and by 219% with perceived changes in food availability in the previous month. Trust in “Polish government institutions” decreased the chance of experiencing such fears by 22%. The likelihood of purchasing larger quantities of food than usual increased by 9% with higher perceived stress, by 46% with higher trust in “Mass media and friends”, by 81% with perceived changes in food availability in the last month, and by 130% with fears of limited access to food as the pandemic spreads. Government institutions may have difficulty in disseminating pandemic-related recommendations through media, not only due to relatively low trust people have in media organizations but also due to the increasing likelihood of the occurrence of both fears regarding food availability and panic-stricken food-buying behaviors with increase in trust in this source of information. Therefore, it is necessary to develop interventions that will reduce perceived stress and improve the trust in information from reputable sources.
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175
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Sutton J, Renshaw SL, Butts CT. COVID-19: Retransmission of official communications in an emerging pandemic. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238491. [PMID: 32936804 PMCID: PMC7494104 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As the most visible face of health expertise to the general public, health agencies have played a central role in alerting the public to the emerging COVID-19 threat, providing guidance for protective action, motivating compliance with health directives, and combating misinformation. Social media platforms such as Twitter have been a critical tool in this process, providing a communication channel that allows both rapid dissemination of messages to the public at large and individual-level engagement. Message dissemination and amplification is a necessary precursor to reaching audiences, both online and off, as well as inspiring action. Therefore, it is valuable for organizational risk communication to identify strategies and practices that may lead to increased message passing among online users. In this research, we examine message features shown in prior disasters to increase or decrease message retransmission under imminent threat conditions to develop models of official risk communicators' messages shared online from February 1, 2020-April 30, 2020. We develop a lexicon of keywords associated with risk communication about the pandemic response, then use automated coding to identify message content and message structural features. We conduct chi-square analyses and negative binomial regression modeling to identify the strategies used by official risk communicators that respectively increase and decrease message retransmission. Findings show systematic changes in message strategies over time and identify key features that affect message passing, both positively and negatively. These results have the potential to aid in message design strategies as the pandemic continues, or in similar future events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeannette Sutton
- College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Scott L. Renshaw
- Department of Sociology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Carter T. Butts
- Department of Sociology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Department of Statistics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America
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176
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Abstract
Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the level of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk perceptions in Indonesia and characterize predictors of perceptions. Methods: An online cross-sectional study was conducted. A questionnaire assessed perceived risk and collected independent variables, including sociodemographic data. A multivariable linear regression model was used to characterize the relationship between independent variables and perceived risk. Results: We included 1379 respondents in the final analysis with the mean and median of perceived risk score was 19.21% and 10.0%, respectively. Respondents aged between 21 and 30 years had the highest perceived risk, and those who were unmarried had 4.3% higher perceived risk compared with those who were married. Compared with the lowest monthly income group, those making Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) 6-10 million and more than IDR 10 million a month believed they had 4.2% and 8.8% higher risk, respectively. Citizens who lived in cities and health-care workers also had a higher perceived risk compared with those in the rural areas and non–health-care workers, respectively. Conclusions: Perceived risk of COVID-19 in Indonesia is relatively low, and this could hamper the adoption of preventive measures of COVID-19. Efforts to increase the awareness and perceived risk are important to prevent the pandemic from escalating.
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177
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Tu-Keefner F, Liu J, Lyons D, Hobbs A, Smith JC, Corbo M. Disaster Health Information Access and Public Libraries’ Situation-Specific Information Services: What Public Librarians and Library Users Said. JOURNAL OF CONSUMER HEALTH ON THE INTERNET 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/15398285.2020.1791666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Feili Tu-Keefner
- School of Information Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Jingjing Liu
- M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Denise Lyons
- South Carolina State Library, South Carolina, SC, USA
| | | | | | - Mike Corbo
- Charleston County Public Library, SC, USA
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178
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Jamison AM, Broniatowski DA, Dredze M, Sangraula A, Smith MC, Quinn SC. Not just conspiracy theories: Vaccine opponents and proponents add to the COVID-19 'infodemic' on Twitter. HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL MISINFORMATION REVIEW 2020; 1:10.37016/mr-2020-38. [PMID: 34368805 PMCID: PMC8345314 DOI: 10.37016/mr-2020-38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
In February 2020, the World Health Organization announced an 'infodemic' -- a deluge of both accurate and inaccurate health information -- that accompanied the global pandemic of COVID-19 as a major challenge to effective health communication. We assessed content from the most active vaccine accounts on Twitter to understand how existing online communities contributed to the 'infodemic' during the early stages of the pandemic. While we expected vaccine opponents to share misleading information about COVID-19, we also found vaccine proponents were not immune to spreading less reliable claims. In both groups, the single largest topic of discussion consisted of narratives comparing COVID-19 to other diseases like seasonal influenza, often downplaying the severity of the novel coronavirus. When considering the scope of the 'infodemic,' researchers and health communicators must move beyond focusing on known bad actors and the most egregious types of misinformation to scrutinize the full spectrum of information -- from both reliable and unreliable sources -- that the public is likely to encounter online.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David A Broniatowski
- Institute for Data, Democracy, and Politics & Department of Engineering, Management and Systems Engineering, The George Washington University, USA
| | - Mark Dredze
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, USA
| | - Anu Sangraula
- Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland, USA
| | - Michael C Smith
- Department of Engineering, Management and Systems Engineering, The George Washington University, USA
| | - Sandra C Quinn
- Department of Family Science & Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland, USA
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179
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Jamison AM, Broniatowski DA, Dredze M, Sangraula A, Smith MC, Quinn SC. Not just conspiracy theories: Vaccine opponents and proponents add to the COVID-19 'infodemic' on Twitter. HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL MISINFORMATION REVIEW 2020; 1. [PMID: 34368805 DOI: 10.37016/mr-2020-007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
In February 2020, the World Health Organization announced an 'infodemic' -- a deluge of both accurate and inaccurate health information -- that accompanied the global pandemic of COVID-19 as a major challenge to effective health communication. We assessed content from the most active vaccine accounts on Twitter to understand how existing online communities contributed to the 'infodemic' during the early stages of the pandemic. While we expected vaccine opponents to share misleading information about COVID-19, we also found vaccine proponents were not immune to spreading less reliable claims. In both groups, the single largest topic of discussion consisted of narratives comparing COVID-19 to other diseases like seasonal influenza, often downplaying the severity of the novel coronavirus. When considering the scope of the 'infodemic,' researchers and health communicators must move beyond focusing on known bad actors and the most egregious types of misinformation to scrutinize the full spectrum of information -- from both reliable and unreliable sources -- that the public is likely to encounter online.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David A Broniatowski
- Institute for Data, Democracy, and Politics & Department of Engineering, Management and Systems Engineering, The George Washington University, USA
| | - Mark Dredze
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, USA
| | - Anu Sangraula
- Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland, USA
| | - Michael C Smith
- Department of Engineering, Management and Systems Engineering, The George Washington University, USA
| | - Sandra C Quinn
- Department of Family Science & Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland, USA
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180
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Jamison AM, Broniatowski DA, Dredze M, Sangraula A, Smith MC, Quinn SC. Not just conspiracy theories: Vaccine opponents and proponents add to the COVID-19 'infodemic' on Twitter. HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL MISINFORMATION REVIEW 2020. [PMID: 34368805 DOI: 10.37016/mr-2020-012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
In February 2020, the World Health Organization announced an 'infodemic' -- a deluge of both accurate and inaccurate health information -- that accompanied the global pandemic of COVID-19 as a major challenge to effective health communication. We assessed content from the most active vaccine accounts on Twitter to understand how existing online communities contributed to the 'infodemic' during the early stages of the pandemic. While we expected vaccine opponents to share misleading information about COVID-19, we also found vaccine proponents were not immune to spreading less reliable claims. In both groups, the single largest topic of discussion consisted of narratives comparing COVID-19 to other diseases like seasonal influenza, often downplaying the severity of the novel coronavirus. When considering the scope of the 'infodemic,' researchers and health communicators must move beyond focusing on known bad actors and the most egregious types of misinformation to scrutinize the full spectrum of information -- from both reliable and unreliable sources -- that the public is likely to encounter online.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David A Broniatowski
- Institute for Data, Democracy, and Politics & Department of Engineering, Management and Systems Engineering, The George Washington University, USA
| | - Mark Dredze
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, USA
| | - Anu Sangraula
- Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland, USA
| | - Michael C Smith
- Department of Engineering, Management and Systems Engineering, The George Washington University, USA
| | - Sandra C Quinn
- Department of Family Science & Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland, USA
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181
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Dai B, Fu D, Meng G, Liu B, Li Q, Liu X. The Effects of Governmental and Individual Predictors on COVID-19 Protective Behaviors in China: A Path Analysis Model. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW 2020; 80:797-804. [PMID: 32836438 PMCID: PMC7276878 DOI: 10.1111/puar.13236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged the world into a crisis. To contain this crisis, it is essential to build full cooperation between the government and the public. However, it is unclear which governmental and individual factors are determinants and how they interact with protective behaviors against COVID-19. To resolve this issue, this study builds a multiple mediation model. Findings show that government emergency public information such as detailed pandemic information and positive risk communication had greater impact on protective behaviors than rumor refutation and supplies. Moreover, governmental factors may indirectly affect protective behaviors through individual factors such as perceived efficacy, positive emotions, and risk perception. These findings suggest that systematic intervention programs for governmental factors need to be integrated with individual factors to achieve effective prevention and control of COVID-19 among the public.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Di Fu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | | | | | - Qi Li
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
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182
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Reddy BV, Gupta A. Importance of effective communication during COVID-19 infodemic. J Family Med Prim Care 2020; 9:3793-3796. [PMID: 33110769 PMCID: PMC7586512 DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_719_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups would rely in part on the quality of communication regarding health risk and danger. Strategic planning should take full account of the way life conditions, cultural values, and risk experience affect actions during a pandemic. Concept of information education communication, Social behaviour change communication, social marketing usually technology and media is recapitulation. Ignorance with sociocultural, economic, psychological, and health factors can jeopardize effective communication at all levels. We summarized the framework for effective communication during pandemic. Understanding and practicing various communication strategies is crucial for physicians and health care workers to develop therapeutic relationships with COVID-19 patients. Addressing psychology in all people is vital during a pandemic and effective communication network is key to it. Effective communication, if ignored, will generate gaps for vulnerable populations and result in added difficulty in combating COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Venkatashiva Reddy
- Department of Community Medicine, NRI Academy of Medical Sciences, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Arti Gupta
- Department of Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh, India
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183
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Han B, Zhao T, Liu B, Liu H, Zheng H, Wan Y, Qiu J, Zhuang H, Cui F. Public Awareness, Individual Prevention Practice, and Psychological Effect at the Beginning of the COVID-19 Outbreak in China. J Epidemiol 2020; 30:474-482. [PMID: 32830167 PMCID: PMC7492706 DOI: 10.2188/jea.je20200148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 has spread to more than 200 countries and territories. But less is known about the knowledge, protection behavior and anxiety regarding the outbreak among the general population. METHODS A cross-sectional, population-based online survey was conducted in China and abroad from January 28 to February 1, 2020. Socio-demographic information was collected and knowledge scores, practice scores, anxiety scores and perceived risk were calculated. General linear model and binary logistic regression were used to identify possible associations. RESULTS We included 9,764 individuals in this study, and 156 (1.6%) were from Hubei Province. The average knowledge score was 4.7 (standard deviation, 1.0) (scored on a 6-point scale); 96.1% maintained hand hygiene, and 90.3% of participants had varying levels of anxiety. People in Hubei Province were the most anxious, followed by those in Beijing and Shanghai. People who had experienced risk behaviors did not pay more attention to wearing masks and hand hygiene. CONCLUSIONS The public had high awareness on knowledge of COVID-19 outbreak, and a high proportion of people practiced good hand hygiene behavior. Many people claimed anxiety, especially in heavily affected areas during pandemic, suggesting the importance of closing the gap between risk awareness and good practice and conduct psychological counseling to public and patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingfeng Han
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University
| | - Tianshuo Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University
| | - Bei Liu
- Department of Laboratorial Science and Technology, School of Public Health, Peking University
| | - Hanyu Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University
| | - Hui Zheng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University.,National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
| | - Yongmei Wan
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
| | - Jiayi Qiu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University
| | - Hui Zhuang
- Department of Microbiology and Center of Infectious Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University
| | - Fuqiang Cui
- Department of Laboratorial Science and Technology, School of Public Health, Peking University
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184
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Seale H, Dyer CEF, Abdi I, Rahman KM, Sun Y, Qureshi MO, Dowell-Day A, Sward J, Islam MS. Improving the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions during COVID-19: examining the factors that influence engagement and the impact on individuals. BMC Infect Dis 2020; 20:607. [PMID: 32807087 PMCID: PMC7430133 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-020-05340-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During an evolving outbreak or pandemic, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) including physical distancing, isolation, and mask use may flatten the peak in communities. However, these strategies rely on community understanding and motivation to engage to ensure appropriate compliance and impact. To support current activities for COVID-19, the objectives of this narrative review was to identify the key determinants impacting on engagement. METHODS An integrative narrative literature review focused on NPIs. We aimed to identify published peer-reviewed articles that focused on the general community (excluding healthcare workers), NPIs (including school closure, quarantine, isolation, physical distancing and hygiene behaviours), and factors/characteristics (including social, physical, psychological, capacity, motivation, economic and demographic) that impact on engagement. RESULTS The results revealed that there are a range of demographic, social and psychological factors underpinning engagement with quarantine, school closures, and personal protective behaviours. Aside from the factors impacting on acceptance and compliance, there are several key community concerns about their use that need to be addressed including the potential for economic consequences. CONCLUSION It is important that we acknowledge that these strategies will have an impact on an individual and the community. By understanding the barriers, we can identify what strategies need to be adopted to motivate individuals and improve community compliance. Using a behavioural framework to plan interventions based on these key barriers, will also ensure countries implement appropriate and targeted responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly Seale
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Level 2, Samuels Building, Sydney, 2052, Australia.
| | - Clare E F Dyer
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Level 2, Samuels Building, Sydney, 2052, Australia
| | - Ikram Abdi
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Level 2, Samuels Building, Sydney, 2052, Australia
| | - Kazi M Rahman
- North Coast Public Health Unit, New South Wales Health, Lismore, NSW, Australia.,The University of Sydney, University Centre for Rural Health, Lismore, NSW, Australia
| | - Yanni Sun
- Centre for Population Health, New South Wales Health, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mohammed O Qureshi
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Level 2, Samuels Building, Sydney, 2052, Australia
| | - Alexander Dowell-Day
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Level 2, Samuels Building, Sydney, 2052, Australia
| | - Jonathon Sward
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Level 2, Samuels Building, Sydney, 2052, Australia
| | - M Saiful Islam
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Level 2, Samuels Building, Sydney, 2052, Australia.,Program on Emerging Infections, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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185
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Finlay S, Wenitong M. Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations are taking a leading role in COVID-19 health communication. Aust N Z J Public Health 2020; 44:251-252. [PMID: 32583534 PMCID: PMC7361256 DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.13010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Summer Finlay
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, New South Wales
- Health Research Institute, University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
| | - Mark Wenitong
- Apunupima Health Council, Australian Capital Territory
- Tropical Public Health Medicine Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland
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186
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Henderson J, Ward PR, Tonkin E, Meyer SB, Pillen H, McCullum D, Toson B, Webb T, Coveney J, Wilson A. Developing and Maintaining Public Trust During and Post-COVID-19: Can We Apply a Model Developed for Responding to Food Scares? Front Public Health 2020; 8:369. [PMID: 32766202 PMCID: PMC7381165 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Trust in public health officials and the information they provide is essential for the public uptake of preventative strategies to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. This paper discusses how a model for developing and maintaining trust in public health officials during food safety incidents and scandals might be applied to pandemic management. The model identifies ten strategies to be considered, including: transparency; development of protocols and procedures; credibility; proactivity; putting the public first; collaborating with stakeholders; consistency; education of stakeholders and the public; building your reputation; and keeping your promises. While pandemic management differs insofar as the responsibility lies with the public rather than identifiable regulatory bodies, and governments must weigh competing risks in creating policy, we conclude that many of the strategies identified in our trust model can be successfully applied to the maintenance of trust in public health officials prior to, during, and after pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Henderson
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Paul R Ward
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Emma Tonkin
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Samantha B Meyer
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Heath Pillen
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Dean McCullum
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Barbara Toson
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Trevor Webb
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - John Coveney
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Annabelle Wilson
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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187
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Maher PJ, MacCarron P, Quayle M. Mapping public health responses with attitude networks: the emergence of opinion-based groups in the UK's early COVID-19 response phase. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 59:641-652. [PMID: 32621294 PMCID: PMC7361608 DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Partisan patterns of compliance with public health measures are a feature of early COVID-19 responses. In many cases, these differences in behaviour relate to pre-existing group identities. However, in times of rapid societal change, novel opinion-based groups can emerge and provide a new basis for partisan identification and divergent collective behaviour. Here, we use network methods to map the emergence of opposing opinion-based groups and assess their implications for public health behaviour. In a longitudinal study, we tracked public health attitudes and self-reported behaviour in a sample of UK participants over four time points. Network visualisation reveal a rift in attitudinal alignment over time and the genesis of two distinct groups characterised by trust, or distrust, in science (Study 1a; N = 253). These groups also diverge in public health behaviour. In a brief follow-up study (N = 206), we find that this opinion polarization partially reflects underlying societal divides. We discuss implications for opinion-based group research and public health campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J. Maher
- Department of PsychologyCentre for Social Issues ResearchUniversity of LimerickIreland
| | - Pádraig MacCarron
- Department of PsychologyCentre for Social Issues ResearchUniversity of LimerickIreland
- MACSI (Mathematics Applications Consortium for Science and Industry)Department of Mathematics & StatisticsUniversity of LimerickIreland
| | - Michael Quayle
- Department of PsychologyCentre for Social Issues ResearchUniversity of LimerickIreland
- Department of PsychologySchool of Applied Human SciencesUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalScottsvilleSouth Africa
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188
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Lakhani HV, Pillai SS, Zehra M, Sharma I, Sodhi K. Systematic Review of Clinical Insights into Novel Coronavirus (CoVID-19) Pandemic: Persisting Challenges in U.S. Rural Population. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17124279. [PMID: 32549334 PMCID: PMC7345039 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17124279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
(1) Introduction. A recent viral outbreak of novel coronavirus (CoVID-19) was declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to its global public health concern. There has been an aggressive growth in the number of emerging cases suggesting rapid spread of the virus. Since the first reported case of CoVID-19, there has been vast progress in understanding the dynamics of CoVID-19. However, there is an increasing evidence of epidemiological disparity in disease burden between urban and rural areas, with rural areas having minimal pandemic preparedness and their own healthcare challenges. Therefore, this review aims to provide insight on the pathogenesis and the transmission dynamics of CoVID-19 along with pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention strategies to mitigate the clinical manifestation of this virus. This review also aims to assess existing challenges of the CoVID-19 pandemic in rural areas based on past pandemic experiences and the effect on rural population. (2) Methods. A literature review was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Academic Search Premier, ProQuest, and Google Scholar, along with information from governmental organizations such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO). (3) Results. The causative virus, with its likely zoonotic origin, has demonstrated high pathogenicity in humans through increasing human-to-human transmission leading to extensive mitigation strategies, including patient quarantine and mass “social distancing” measures. Although the clinical manifestation of symptoms is mild in majority of the virus-inflicted population, critical patients may present with pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome, exacerbated by pre-existing comorbidities, eventually leading to death. While effective coronavirus disease (CoVID-19)-specific vaccines and drugs are under clinical trials, several pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions have been adapted to manage symptoms and curtail the effect of the virus to prevent increasing morbidity and mortality. Several persisting challenges have been noted for mitigating CoVID-19 in rural areas, including the poor healthcare infrastructure, health literacy, pandemic preparedness along with the fact that majority of rural population are frail subjects with pre-existing comorbidities. (4) Discussion. The increasing rate of incidence of CoVID-19 presents its own challenges, burdening healthcare institutions and the global economy, and impacting the physical and mental health of people worldwide. Given the clinical insights into CoVID-19 and the challenges presented in this review for the U.S. rural population, mitigation strategies should be designed accordingly to minimize the morbidity and mortality of this contagion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Komal Sodhi
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(304)-691-1704; Fax: +1-(914)-347-4956
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189
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Lim S, Nakazato H. The Emergence of Risk Communication Networks and the Development of Citizen Health-Related Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Social Selection and Contagion Processes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E4148. [PMID: 32532029 PMCID: PMC7312553 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17114148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, a variety of public health strategies have been implemented by governments worldwide. However, the fact that strict government mandates focus on physical distancing does not mean that social connectedness for voluntary risk communication among citizens should be sacrificed. Furthermore, we lack an understanding of citizens' behaviors regarding the voluntary adoption of public health measures and the control of mental wellbeing in the age of physical distancing. Key variables in the response to the global pandemic are the emergence of risk deliberation networks, voluntary compliance with government guidelines, and the restoration of citizens' subjective health. However, little is known about how citizens' health-related behaviors coevolve with social connections for sharing information and discussing urgent pandemic issues. The findings show that selection and social influence mechanisms coexist by affecting each citizen's health-related behaviors and community-led risk discourses in the face of the urgent health crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seunghoo Lim
- Public Management and Policy Analysis Program, Graduate School of International Relations, International University of Japan, Niigata 949 7277, Japan
| | - Hiromi Nakazato
- School of Information and Communication, Meiji University, Tokyo 101 8301, Japan;
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190
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Medel D, Meza L, Galimov A, Baezconde-Garbanati L, Sussman S. Notes From the Field: Vape Shop Business Operations Compliance in the Wake of COVID-19. Eval Health Prof 2020; 43:135-137. [PMID: 32383409 PMCID: PMC8259894 DOI: 10.1177/0163278720923224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The novel 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has led to the closing of all but essential businesses in California. However, several nonessential businesses have remained open in Southern California despite the mandated "stay at home" order issued by the governor. As part of an ongoing vape shop project involving 88 participating shops, this study investigated the number of vape shops that remained open amidst the coronavirus outbreak and related mandates. Examination of shop social media websites and telephone calls to shops revealed that 61.4% (n = 54) have remained open, particularly within Korean/Asian and Hispanic/Latino ethnic locations (32 of the 54 shops). Importantly, walk-in service was much higher within Hispanic/Latino locations compared to African American, Korean/Asian, or non-Hispanic White neighborhoods (p = 0.03). It is not known if shops that stayed open were in direct violation of the order, didn't know all the details of the order, or found a loophole in the order and believed that they were an essential business. Better communication between the vape shop industry and public health officials during this pandemic is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna Medel
- Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Leah Meza
- Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Artur Galimov
- Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati
- Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steve Sussman
- Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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191
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Jungmann SM, Witthöft M. Health anxiety, cyberchondria, and coping in the current COVID-19 pandemic: Which factors are related to coronavirus anxiety? J Anxiety Disord 2020; 73:102239. [PMID: 32502806 PMCID: PMC7239023 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 325] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
According to cognitive-behavioral models, traits, triggering events, cognitions, and adverse behaviors play a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of health anxiety. During virus outbreaks, anxiety is widespread. However, the role of trait health anxiety, cyberchondria, and coping in the context of virus anxiety during the current COVID-19 pandemic has not yet been studied. An online survey was conducted in the German general population (N = 1615, 79.8 % female, Mage = 33.36 years, SD = 13.18) in mid-March 2020, which included questionnaires on anxiety associated with SARS-CoV-2, trait health anxiety, cyberchondriaPandemic (i.e. excessive online information search), and emotion regulation. The participants reported a significantly increasing virus anxiety in recent months (previous months recorded retrospectively), especially among individuals with heightened trait health anxiety. CyberchondriaPandemic showed positive correlations with current virus anxiety (r = .09-.48), and this relationship was additionally moderated by trait health anxiety. A negative correlation was found between the perception of being informed about the pandemic and the current virus anxiety (r=-.18), with adaptive emotion regulation being a significant moderator for this relationship. The findings suggest that trait health anxiety and cyberchondria serve as risk factors, whereas information about the pandemic and adaptive emotion regulation might represent buffering factors for anxiety during a virus pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie M Jungmann
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Experimental Psychopathology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Michael Witthöft
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Experimental Psychopathology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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192
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Jenkins WD, Bolinski R, Bresett J, Van Ham B, Fletcher S, Walters S, Friedman SR, Ezell JM, Pho M, Schneider J, Ouellet L. COVID-19 During the Opioid Epidemic - Exacerbation of Stigma and Vulnerabilities. J Rural Health 2020; 37:172-174. [PMID: 32277731 PMCID: PMC7262104 DOI: 10.1111/jrh.12442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wiley D Jenkins
- Department of Population Science and Policy, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois
| | - Rebecca Bolinski
- Department of Sociology, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, Illinois
| | - John Bresett
- Department of Public Health and Recreation, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, Illinois
| | - Brent Van Ham
- Department of Population Science and Policy, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, Illinois
| | | | - Suzan Walters
- Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, New York
| | - Samuel R Friedman
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Jerel M Ezell
- Section of Infectious Diseases and Global Health, Department of Sociology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Mai Pho
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases and Global Health, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - John Schneider
- Departments of Medicine and Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago Medical Sciences, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Larry Ouellet
- School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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193
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The King Abdulaziz University (KAU) Pandemic Framework: A Methodological Approach to Leverage Social Media for the Sustainable Management of Higher Education in Crisis. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12114367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The recent pandemic has raised significant challenges worldwide. In higher education, the necessity to adopt efficient strategies to sustain education during the crisis is mobilizing diverse, complementary, and integrative action in response. In this research article, we rise to the challenge of designing and implementing a transparent strategy for social media awareness at King Abdulaziz University (KAU). We introduce a framework for social media impact, termed the KAU Pandemic Framework. This includes the factors with the most important role in enhancing the deployment of social media in crisis in order to minimize the negative impact on education’s sustainability. We used a mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative statistical analyses of social media data and online surveys and qualitative interviews in such a way as to construct a comprehensive framework. The results show that a methodological framework can be justified and that Twitter contributes significantly to six areas: administrative resilience; education sustainability; community responsibility; positive sentiment; community bonds; and delivery of promised value. The components of our proposed methodological framework integrate five pillars of the strategic adoption of social media: social media governance; social media resilience; social media utilization; decision-making capability; and institutional strategy. Finally, we show that the KAU Pandemic Framework can be used as strategic decision-making tool for the analysis of the gaps and inefficiencies in any social media plan that is deployed and the management challenges arising from the pandemic.
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194
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Sesagiri Raamkumar A, Tan SG, Wee HL. Measuring the Outreach Efforts of Public Health Authorities and the Public Response on Facebook During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Early 2020: Cross-Country Comparison. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e19334. [PMID: 32401219 PMCID: PMC7238862 DOI: 10.2196/19334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic presents one of the most challenging global crises at the dawn of a new decade. Public health authorities (PHAs) are increasingly adopting the use of social media such as Facebook to rapidly communicate and disseminate pandemic response measures to the public. Understanding of communication strategies across different PHAs and examining the public response on the social media landscapes can help improve practices for disseminating information to the public. OBJECTIVE This study aims to examine COVID-19-related outreach efforts of PHAs in Singapore, the United States, and England, and the corresponding public response to these outreach efforts on Facebook. METHODS Posts and comments from the Facebook pages of the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Singapore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, and Public Health England (PHE) in England were extracted from January 1, 2019, to March 18, 2020. Posts published before January 1, 2020, were categorized as pre-COVID-19, while the remaining posts were categorized as peri-COVID-19 posts. COVID-19-related posts were identified and classified into themes. Metrics used for measuring outreach and engagement were frequency, mean posts per day (PPD), mean reactions per post, mean shares per post, and mean comments per post. Responses to the COVID-19 posts were measured using frequency, mean sentiment polarity, positive to negative sentiments ratio (PNSR), and positive to negative emotions ratio (PNER). Toxicity in comments were identified and analyzed using frequency, mean likes per toxic comment, and mean replies per toxic comment. Trend analysis was performed to examine how the metrics varied with key events such as when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. RESULTS The MOH published more COVID-19 posts (n=271; mean PPD 5.0) compared to the CDC (n=94; mean PPD 2.2) and PHE (n=45; mean PPD 1.4). The mean number of comments per COVID-19 post was highest for the CDC (mean CPP 255.3) compared to the MOH (mean CPP 15.6) and PHE (mean CPP 12.5). Six major themes were identified, with posts about prevention and safety measures and situation updates being prevalent across the three PHAs. The themes of the MOH's posts were diverse, while the CDC and PHE posts focused on a few themes. Overall, response sentiments for the MOH posts (PNSR 0.94) were more favorable compared to response sentiments for the CDC (PNSR 0.57) and PHE (PNSR 0.55) posts. Toxic comments were rare (0.01%) across all PHAs. CONCLUSIONS PHAs' extent of Facebook use for outreach purposes during the COVID-19 pandemic varied among the three PHAs, highlighting the strategies and approaches that other PHAs can potentially adopt. Our study showed that social media analysis was capable of providing insights about the communication strategies of PHAs during disease outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aravind Sesagiri Raamkumar
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, MD1 #10-0112 Science Drive 2, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SG
| | - Soon Guan Tan
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, MD1 #10-0112 Science Drive 2, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SG
| | - Hwee Lin Wee
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, MD1 #10-0112 Science Drive 2, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SG.,Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SG
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195
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196
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Leveraging community engaged research partnerships for crisis and emergency risk communication to vulnerable populations in the COVID-19 pandemic. J Clin Transl Sci 2020; 5:e6. [PMID: 33942018 PMCID: PMC7605400 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2020.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Community engagement is important for reaching vulnerable populations in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A risk communication framework was implemented by a community-engaged research (CEnR) partnership in Southeast Minnesota to address COVID-19 prevention, testing, and socioeconomic impacts. Bidirectional communication between Communication Leaders and community members within their social networks was used by the partnership to refine messages, leverage resources, and advise policy makers. Over 14 days, messages were delivered by 24 Communication Leaders in 6 languages across 9 electronic platforms to 9882 individuals within their networks. CEnR partnerships may effectively implement crisis and emergency risk communication to vulnerable populations in a pandemic.
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197
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Shapira S, Aharonson-Daniel L, Clarfield AM, Feder-Bubis P. Giving a voice to medically vulnerable populations: A mixed-methods investigation of their unique perceptions and needs in emergency situations. HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY 2020; 28:811-822. [PMID: 31793150 DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Older adults in poor health represent a growing sector of the population worldwide. These medically vulnerable individuals often tend to be ill-prepared for emergencies. In times of crisis they are at higher risk of experiencing adverse health outcomes and are liable to place an additional burden on health and social care services. The aim of this study was to explore the unique perceptions and diverse needs of community-dwelling medically vulnerable individuals in Israel in order to gain insights that could be used to promote future preparedness. A mixed methods design was employed that included 16 in-depth interviews, followed by a quantitative survey of 179 participants. Data were collected between 2016 and 2017. The analysis process included thematic analysis for qualitative data. Quantitative data analysis focused on estimating associations between preparedness levels and participants' characteristics and perceptions. The results indicated low levels of preparedness-only 13.5% of participants reported having prepared a full emergency kit with supplies. Family members played a key role in almost every dimension related to emergency preparedness; alongside certain authorities perceived by the participants as responsible for initiating the preparedness process. Additional issues that emerged were related to information and communication and to the logistics of medication handling and special nutrition. The findings suggest that it is vital to adopt a proactive approach to the problem of preparedness in this population. This conclusion should be of value to health and social care practitioners in the community as well as to family members and caregivers. Practical and simple recommendations for enhancing preparedness based on these findings are provided. Viewing preparedness as a process that is the joint responsibility of the individual, the family, caregivers, and community health and social welfare services could contribute to maintaining continuity of care among vulnerable populations and mitigate adverse health outcomes in future events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stav Shapira
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
- PREPARD Center for Emergency Response Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Limor Aharonson-Daniel
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
- PREPARD Center for Emergency Response Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - A Mark Clarfield
- Medical School for International Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-sheva, Israel
- The Department of Geriatrics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Paula Feder-Bubis
- Department of Health Systems Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences and Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
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198
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Abstract
COVID-19 has given us a food for thought that whether we are prepared for such pandemics or not. Developed nations may say that they have enough resources to tackle such situations, but when it comes to the physical and emotional security of the children, even they have to think manifolds because preparing children for such pandemics need lot of effort and apt planning. The purpose of this chapter is to reflect issues related to children during any infectious disease outbreak like COVID-19. Adults are mature enough to control their emotions and can act patiently, but immature minds are always perplexed and act in a very clingy way when some adverse situation is thrown to them. Children are ardent observers and act according to the reactions of the folks around them. It is difficult for them to conceal their behavior, and it is difficult for parents as well to manage their anxiety levels. During crisis period when social distancing and refrained outdoor activities have brought our children into a knotty situation, it is necessary that we understand their fears and myths, try to resolve their concerns in a polite way and strengthen their minds. At this stage the role of parents, teachers, educational institutes, social media, and international children’s organizations need to be redefined. The importance of the decisions taken by the governing bodies should be explained to the children in an effective way, so that they do not panic and reflect a brave attitude. UNICEF in collaboration with international health support systems and departments has a major role to play. Appropriate planning for preparing the children for pandemics has to be incorporated in our system, so that any future crisis can be dealt in an easier way. Schools colleges and other educational institutes should execute immunization and hygiene and health practices in advance to promote prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailendra K. Saxena
- grid.411275.40000 0004 0645 6578Centre for Advanced Research, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, India
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199
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Smith JA, Judd J. COVID-19: Vulnerability and the power of privilege in a pandemic. Health Promot J Austr 2020; 31:158-160. [PMID: 32197274 PMCID: PMC7165578 DOI: 10.1002/hpja.333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- James A. Smith
- Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases DivisionMenzies School of Health ResearchCasuarinaAustralia
| | - Jenni Judd
- School of Health Medical and Applied SciencesCentral Queensland UniversityBundabergAustralia
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200
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Khosravi M. Perceived Risk of COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Public Worry and Trust. ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF GENERAL MEDICINE 2020; 17:em203. [DOI: 10.29333/ejgm/7856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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