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Schäfer M, Stark B, Werner AM, Tibubos AN, Reichel JL, Pfirrmann D, Edelmann D, Heller S, Mülder LM, Rigotti T, Letzel S, Dietz P. Health Information Seeking Among University Students Before and During the Corona Crisis-Findings From Germany. Front Public Health 2021; 8:616603. [PMID: 33585388 PMCID: PMC7873736 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.616603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Health information-seeking behavior is the process of gathering information about health and disease and can be influential for health-related perception and behavior. University students are an important target group for prevention and health promotion and largely belong to an age group that is considered to play a leading role in propagating the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Germany. The paper deals with students' health information-seeking behavior before and during the corona crisis, aiming to give insights into its determinants and implications. Using the example of a large German comprehensive university and based on two cross-sectional surveys in the summer of 2019 (n = 4,351) and 2020 (n = 3,066), we investigate which information channels students use for health information, how information seeking changes during the course of the pandemic, and to what extent information seeking is associated with risk perception and risk behavior. For a subsample of participants that participated in both surveys (n = 443), we also trace developments at the individual level through a longitudinal analysis. The results show that students' health information seeking takes place primarily online and changed markedly during the corona crisis. The comparatively high relevance of sources that are largely based on unchecked user-generated content raises the concern whether students' health information-seeking behavior guarantees the necessary quality and reliability of health information. Significant correlations between the intensity of corona-related information seeking, risk perception, and actual risk behavior were found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Schäfer
- Department of Communication, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Birgit Stark
- Department of Communication, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Antonia M. Werner
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ana Nanette Tibubos
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jennifer L. Reichel
- Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Center of the University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Daniel Pfirrmann
- Department Sport Medicine, Rehabilitation and Disease Prevention, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Dennis Edelmann
- Department Sport Medicine, Rehabilitation and Disease Prevention, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sebastian Heller
- Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Center of the University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Lina Marie Mülder
- Department of Work, Organizational, and Business Psychology, Institute for Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Rigotti
- Department of Work, Organizational, and Business Psychology, Institute for Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stephan Letzel
- Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Center of the University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Pavel Dietz
- Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Center of the University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Olagoke AA, Olagoke OO, Hughes AM. Psychological Pathways Linking Public Trust During the Coronavirus Pandemic to Mental and Physical Well-being. Front Psychol 2020; 11:570216. [PMID: 33262724 PMCID: PMC7686134 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.570216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The well-being of the public during the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is deeply rooted in institutional trust in the government's risk communication effort. The objective of this study was to examine the psychological pathway through which public trust in the government is associated with mental and physical well-being. We collected cross-sectional data from 501 participants aged ≥18 years using an online panel. Public trust in the government was assessed as our exposure variable. We screened for psychological distress by combining the Patient Health Questionnaire and the General Anxiety Disorder scale. Physical well-being was examined using self-rated health. We further assessed the roles of risk perceptions. The author conducted a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson's correlations, multivariable regressions, and mediation analyses (using the Preachers and Hayes' approach). Participants were 55.29% female, 67.86% Caucasian/white with a mean age of 32.44 ± 11.94 years. Public trust in the government regarding COVID-19 was negatively correlated with psychological distress (r = -0.20; p < 0.001) and positively associated with physical well-being (r = 0.13; p < 0.001). After adjusting for sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors, public trust remained negatively associated with psychological distress (β = -0.19; 95% confidence intervals, [CI] -0.30, -0.09) and positively associated with physical well-being (β = 0.26; 95% CI [0.16, -0.37]). Perceived self-efficacy to practice COVID-19 protective behavior partially mediated the relationship between public trust and psychological distress (13.07%); and physical well-being (28.02%). Perceived self-efficacy to protect self against COVID-19 infection can serve as a psychological pathway through which public trust may be associated with mental and physical health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayokunle A Olagoke
- Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.,Center of Innovations in Chronic and Complex Healthcare, Edward Hines Jr. VA Medical Center, Hines, IL, United States
| | - Olakanmi O Olagoke
- Department of Internal Medicine, John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ashley M Hughes
- Center of Innovations in Chronic and Complex Healthcare, Edward Hines Jr. VA Medical Center, Hines, IL, United States.,Department of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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Olagoke AA, Olagoke OO, Hughes AM. Exposure to coronavirus news on mainstream media: The role of risk perceptions and depression. Br J Health Psychol 2020; 25:865-874. [PMID: 32415914 PMCID: PMC7267047 DOI: 10.1111/bjhp.12427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective The mainstream media tend to rely on news content that will increase risk perceptions of pandemic outbreaks to stimulate public response and persuade people to comply with preventive behaviours. The objective of this study was to examine associations between exposure to coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) news, risk perceptions, and depressive symptoms. Methods Cross‐sectional data were collected from 501 participants who were ≥18 years. Exposure to COVID‐19 news was assessed as our exposure variable. We screened for depression (outcome variable) with the Patient Health Questionnaire and examined the roles of risk perceptions. Multiple linear regressions and mediation analysis with 1000 bootstrap resamples were conducted. Results Participants were 55.29% female, 67.86% White with mean age 32.44 ± 11.94 years. After controlling for sociodemographic and socio‐economic factors, news exposure was positively associated with depressive symptoms β = .11; 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 0.02–0.20. Mediation analysis showed that perceived vulnerability to COVID‐19 mediated 34.4% of this relationship (β = .04; 95%CI = 0.01–0.06). Conclusion Perceived vulnerability to COVID‐19 can serve as a pathway through which exposure to COVID‐19 news on mainstream media may be associated with depressive symptoms. Based on our findings, we offered recommendations for media–health partnership, practice, and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayokunle A Olagoke
- Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Olakanmi O Olagoke
- Department of Internal Medicine, John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Ashley M Hughes
- Department of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Center of Innovations in Chronic and Complex Healthcare, Edward Hines JR VA Medical Center, Illinois, USA
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Young ME, Norman GR, Humphreys KR. Medicine in the popular press: the influence of the media on perceptions of disease. PLoS One 2008; 3:e3552. [PMID: 18958167 PMCID: PMC2569209 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2008] [Accepted: 09/28/2008] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In an age of increasing globalization and discussion of the possibility of global pandemics, increasing rates of reporting of these events may influence public perception of risk. The present studies investigate the impact of high levels of media reporting on the perceptions of disease. Undergraduate psychology and medical students were asked to rate the severity, future prevalence and disease status of both frequently reported diseases (e.g. avian flu) and infrequently reported diseases (e.g. yellow fever). Participants considered diseases that occur frequently in the media to be more serious, and have higher disease status than those that infrequently occur in the media, even when the low media frequency conditions were considered objectively ‘worse’ by a separate group of participants. Estimates of severity also positively correlated with popular print media frequency in both student populations. However, we also see that the concurrent presentation of objective information about the diseases can mitigate this effect. It is clear from these data that the media can bias our perceptions of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith E Young
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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