Beliefs and Risk Perceptions About COVID-19: Evidence From Two Successive French Representative Surveys During Lockdown

A system dynamics model of the COVID-19 pandemic considering risk perception: A case study of Iran

The new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a complex issue around the world. As the disease advancing and death rates are continuously increasing, governments are trying to control the situation by implementing different response policies. In order to implement appropriate policies, we need to consider the behavior of the people. Risk perception (RP) is a critical component in many health behavior change theories studies. People's RP can shape their behavior. This research presents a system dynamics (SD) model of the COVID-19 outbreak considering RP. The proposed model considers effective factors on RP, including different media types, awareness, and public acceptable death rate. In addition, the simplifying assumption of permanent immunity due to infection has been eliminated, and reinfection is considered; thus, different waves of the pandemic have been simulated. Using the presented model, the trend of advancing and death rates due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran can be predicted. Some policies are proposed for pandemic management. Policies are categorized as the capacity of hospitals, preventive behaviors, and accepted death rate. The results show that the proposed policies are effective. In this case, reducing the accepted death rate was the most effective policy to manage the pandemics. About 20% reduction in the accepted death rate causes about 23% reduction in cumulative death and delays at epidemic peak. The mean daily error in predicting the death rate is less than 10%.

How do people understand the spread of COVID-19 infections? Mapping mental models of factors contributing to the pandemic

OBJECTIVE

To describe the mental models people hold about the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on how they understand the factors that drive the spread of COVID-19 and what kind of beliefs are associated with these models.

DESIGN

In a series of three studies (total N = 461), we asked participants to identify factors that are relevant for COVID-19 proliferation (Study 1a), rate the importance of factors (Study 1 b), and create a mental model of how these factors relate to virus spread by employing a validated tool for mental model elicitation (Study 2). Main outcome measures: inclusion and centrality of factors in mental models of COVID-19 infection spread.

RESULTS

Mitigation measures issued by government, adherence to measures, and virus characteristics were most strongly represented in participants' mental models. Participants who perceived measures as appropriate or who experienced more control and more worry over the spread of the virus created more complex models compared to participants who were less satisfied with measures or who felt lower control and less worry.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that people are able to create sensible mental models of virus transmission but may appreciate transparent communication to comprehend the bigger picture behind the governmental mitigation strategy.

Impact of epidemic prevention policies on public vaccination willingness: empirical research in China

Background

The sudden emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 posed an enormous threat to public health. Vaccination is currently recognized as the most cost-effective preventive and control measure against the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide and is the key to constructing a line of defense against the virus, while the epidemic prevention policies adopted by governments have an important impact on the protective behavior of the public. The purpose of this study is to analyze the mechanism by which the stringency of epidemic prevention policies affects public vaccination willingness and to explore the mediating effect of public risk perception.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 387 adults from December 2022 to June 2023 in China. A multiple linear regression model was used to explore the impact of epidemic prevention policy stringency on public vaccination willingness, and a hierarchical regression model was used to test the mediating effect of public risk perception.

Results

Our results showed that public vaccination willingness increased by approximately 45.5% for every one-unit increase in the stringency of the epidemic prevention policies, which shows that the stringency of epidemic prevention policies has a significant positive influence on public vaccination willingness. In addition, public risk perception increased by approximately 38.9% during the period of stringent government policies on epidemic prevention. For every one-unit increase in risk perception, public vaccination willingness increased by approximately 40.9%, and the relationship between the stringency of epidemic prevention policies and public vaccination willingness was partially mediated by risk perception.

Conclusion

The stricter the epidemic prevention policies, the stronger the public vaccination willingness; risk perception plays a mediating effect between the stringency of epidemic prevention policies and public vaccination willingness. This finding is particularly important for exploring and analyzing the factors influencing public vaccination willingness and for improving public health.

Experiences of male irregular migrants during their migration process and reception in Spain: lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

The causes behind migration movements are complex. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how several countries failed to respond to the virus adequately, while simultaneously infringing on people's rights. Male irregular migrants fled their countries of origin and embarked on a perilous migration journey to Spain. The highly restrictive COVID-19 measures and border closures affected the mobility of male irregular migrants, whose reception in the host country posed a challenge. It led to the establishment of emergency facilities to accommodate male irregular migrants affected by COVID-19, which had repercussions on their mental health. The aim of this study was to describe and understand the experiences of male irregular migrants throughout their migration process and reception in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Qualitative descriptive study. Sixteen male irregular migrants participated in this study. Data were collected between January and March 2023 through 16 one-on-one in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data using ATLAS.ti computer software.

Results

Three main themes emerged: (1) How the COVID-19 pandemic drove male irregular migrants to leave their countries of origin, (2) How COVID-19 lockdown policies affected the migration journey, and (3) Receiving male irregular migrants in a pandemic: a housing labyrinth marked by isolation and loneliness.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the social, employment and health inequalities experienced by male irregular migrants. Border closures exacerbated the migration journey and the social stigmatization of this group, who were seen as carriers of the virus in both transit and host countries. Strict control measures in emergency and reception facilities had a significant psychological impact on the male irregular migrants due to the social isolation they experienced. Health institutions should develop programs to guarantee the care needs of irregular migrants.

Factors associated with compliance with barrier gestures and social distancing measures in France

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic led many countries to drastically limit social activities. The objective of this study is to describe the factors associated with compliance with protective measures and social distancing in the general adult population in France, between March and December 2020 (first and second waves of the epidemic), before vaccination began at the end of December 2020.

METHOD

The data come from the CoviPrev repeated cross-sectional descriptive survey, conducted between March 2020 and December 2022 in metropolitan France. The data collected from March to December 2020 (19 survey waves), from a panel representative of the general population, were used. Three periods were defined: the first epidemic wave (March-April), the inter-wave period (May-June) and the second epidemic wave (November-December). A compliance score was constructed to measure systematic compliance with the five main measures. The association between systematic compliance and different variables (sociodemographic, mental health, level of health literacy, perceived severity of COVID-19, confidence in government, perceived effectiveness of the measures) was described using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models, using the statistical software R.

RESULTS

Systematic compliance with the preventive measures changed over time. Regardless of the period, being a woman, being over 50, perceiving COVID-19 as severe, having a high level of health literacy or anxiety were positively associated with compliance. Having a child under 16 years of age and perceiving the measures as effective were positively associated with compliance with the protective measures during the epidemic waves; conversely, having a high level of depression, living alone, not working were negatively associated in the first epidemic wave. Finally, during the inter-wave period, living in an area heavily affected during the first wave and having a high level of education were positively and negatively associated with systematic compliance with the preventive measures, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The factors associated with compliance with the protective measures and social distancing evolved during the epidemic. Monitoring this evolution, in order to adapt communication and awareness strategies, is essential in the context of pandemic response.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance: A comparative longitudinal analysis of the association between risk perception, confidence, and the acceptance of a COVID-19 vaccine

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, scientists rushed to develop vaccines to protect individuals and ferry the world out of the pandemic. Unfortunately, vaccine hesitancy is a major threat to the success of vaccination campaigns. Research on previous pandemics highlighted the centrality of perceived risk and confidence as core determinants of vaccine acceptance. Research on COVID-19 is less conclusive, and frequently it relies on one-country, cross-sectional data, thus making it hard to generalize results across contexts and observe these relationships over time. To bridge these gaps, in this article, we analyzed the association between perceived risk, confidence, and vaccine acceptance cross-sectionally at individual and country levels. Then, we longitudinally explored whether a within-country variation in perceived risk and confidence was correlated with a variation in vaccine acceptance. We used data from a large-scale survey of individuals in 23 countries and 19 time-points between June 2020 and March 2021 and comparative longitudinal multilevel models to estimate the associations at different levels of analysis simultaneously. Results show the existence of cross-sectional relationships at the individual and country levels but no significant associations within countries over time. This article contributes to our understanding of the roles of risk perception and confidence in COVID-19 vaccines' acceptance by underlining that these relationships might differ at diverse levels of analysis. To foster vaccine uptake, it might be important to address individual concerns and persisting contextual characteristics, but increasing levels of perceived risk and confidence might not be a sufficient strategy to increase vaccine acceptance rates.

Contrasting Objective and Perceived Risk: Predicting COVID-19 Health Behaviors in a Nationally Representative U.S. Sample

BACKGROUND

Individuals confronting health threats may display an optimistic bias such that judgments of their risk for illness or death are unrealistically positive given their objective circumstances.

PURPOSE

We explored optimistic bias for health risks using k-means clustering in the context of COVID-19. We identified risk profiles using subjective and objective indicators of severity and susceptibility risk for COVID-19.

METHODS

Between 3/18/2020-4/18/2020, a national probability sample of 6,514 U.S. residents reported both their subjective risk perceptions (e.g., perceived likelihood of illness or death) and objective risk indices (e.g., age, weight, pre-existing conditions) of COVID-19-related susceptibility and severity, alongside other pandemic-related experiences. Six months later, a subsample (N = 5,661) completed a follow-up survey with questions about their frequency of engagement in recommended health protective behaviors (social distancing, mask wearing, risk behaviors, vaccination intentions).

RESULTS

The k-means clustering procedure identified five risk profiles in the Wave 1 sample; two of these demonstrated aspects of optimistic bias, representing almost 44% of the sample. In OLS regression models predicting health protective behavior adoption at Wave 2, clusters representing individuals with high perceived severity risk were most likely to report engagement in social distancing, but many individuals who were objectively at high risk for illness and death did not report engaging in self-protective behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

Objective risk of disease severity only inconsistently predicted health protective behavior. Risk profiles may help identify groups that need more targeted interventions to increase their support for public health policy and health enhancing recommendations more broadly.

Why Do We Not Wear Masks Anymore during the COVID-19 Wave? Vaccination Precludes the Adoption of Personal Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions: A Quantitative Study of Taiwanese Residents

Background and Objectives: This study examined whether the decline in people's adoption of personal NPIs (e.g., mask wearing) results from the preclusion by vaccination. This study also incorporates the concepts of risk perception and the risk-as-feelings model to elucidate the possible mechanisms behind this preclusion. Materials and Methods: Two cross-sectional surveys (N = 462 in Survey 1 and N = 505 in Survey 2) were administered before and during the first outbreak of COVID-19 in Taiwan. The survey items were designed to measure participants' perceived severity of COVID-19, worry about COVID-19, intention to adopt personal NPIs, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines. Utilizing the risk perception framework, we conducted multigroup SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) to construct the optimal structural model for both samples. Results and Conclusions: The multigroup SEM results showed that worry (i.e., the emotional component of risk perception) fully mediates the influence of the perceived severity of COVID-19 (i.e., the cognitive component of risk perception) on the intention to adopt NPIs in both surveys [z = 4.03, p < 0.001 for Survey 1 and z = 2.49, p < 0.050 for Survey 2]. Before the outbreak (i.e., Survey 1), people's attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines showed no significant association with their worry about COVID-19 [z = 0.66, p = 0.508]. However, in Survey 2, following the real outbreak of COVID-19, people's attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines negatively predicts their worry about COVID-19 [z = -4.31, p < 0.001], indirectly resulting in a negative effect on their intention to adopt personal NPIs. This suggests the occurrence of the Peltzman effect. That is, vaccination fosters a sense of safety, subsequently diminishing alertness to COVID-19, and thus reducing the intention to adopt personal NPIs.

Prevalence and influencing factors of depressive and anxiety symptoms among hospital-based healthcare workers during the surge period of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Chinese mainland: a multicenter cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

From November 2022 to February 2023, the Chinese mainland experienced a surge in COVID-19 infection and hospitalization, and the hospital-based healthcare workers (HCWs) might suffer serious psychological crisis during this period. This study aims to assess the depressive and anxiety symptoms among HCWs during the surge of COVID-19 pandemic and to provide possible reference on protecting mental health of HCWs in future infectious disease outbreaks.

METHODS

A multicenter cross-sectional study was carried out among hospital-based HCWs in the Chinese mainland from 5 January to 9 February 2023. The PHQ-9 (nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire) and GAD-7 (seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire) were used to measure depressive and anxiety symptoms. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to identify influencing factors.

RESULTS

A total of 6522 hospital-based HCWs in the Chinse mainland were included in this survey. The prevalence of depressive symptoms among the HCWs was 70.75%, and anxiety symptoms was 47.87%. The HCWs who perceived higher risk of COVID-19 infection and those who had higher work intensity were more likely to experience depressive and anxiety symptoms. Additionally, higher levels of mindfulness, resilience and perceived social support were negatively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that a high proportion of HCWs in the Chinese mainland suffered from mental health disturbances during the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience, mindfulness and perceived social support are important protective factors of HCWs' mental health. Tailored interventions, such as mindfulness practice, should be implemented to alleviate psychological symptoms of HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic or other similar events in the future.

One year of COVID-19 in dental health services in Norway: psychological impact, risk perceptions and vaccination status

BACKGROUND

Increased psychological pressure on oral healthcare professionals (OHP) due to COVID-19 has been shown, yet little is known about the long-term psychological impacts. We aimed to study the psychological impact of COVID-19 and associated factors including perceived risk and preparedness and vaccination status among OHP in the first year after the lockdown period in Norway.

METHODS

A structured questionnaire sent electronically to dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants inquired experiences and perceptions during the second year following the outbreak in Norway. The questionnaire comprised a COVID-19 fear scale and questions about risk perception, preparedness and vaccination status. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used to assess psychological impact, perception of risk and preparedness according to vaccination status of the respondents.

RESULTS

The majority of the 708 respondents were female (92.8%), had ten or more years of work experience (67.1%), and worked in public dental clinics (95.9%). Fears and concerns related to COVID-19 were common, 72.6% feared getting infected and 85.4% feared infecting others. Of the 642 respondents who agreed that their workplaces handled the situation well, 55.6% were fully vaccinated. Three factors were retrieved from EFA: Insecurity, Instability and Infection. SEM showed that females were more concerned with Infection, and respondents with long clinical experience were less likely to express fear about Instability. Fully vaccinated individuals felt more insecure about becoming infected, and those agreeing that their workplaces handled the current situation well were concerned with Insecurity.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite widespread perception of adequate preparedness and high vaccine coverage, a considerable psychological impact and high levels of fear of COVID-19 were observed among the majority of OHP. Fully vaccinated individuals had a larger psychological burden than not fully vaccinated and those with unknown vaccination status. These findings can inform means and interventions to reduce negative impacts of fear in populations with a high psychological burden.

Profiles of older adults according to their life and food-related life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic: the importance of the social environment

Introduction

Older adults are a highly heterogeneous population, as individuals of the same age can show considerable variations in personal characteristics and living conditions. Risk and protective factors for older adults' subjective wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic can be explored by examining how life satisfaction, food-related life satisfaction, and associated variables coexist among these individuals. On this basis, this study aimed to identify older adult profiles based on their levels of life and food-related life satisfaction; to characterize these profiles by diet quality, social support, financial wellbeing, and sociodemographic characteristics; and to identify variables associated with higher life and food-related life satisfaction.

Methods

The sample included 1,371 institutionalized and non-institutionalized individuals over the age of 60, from four cities in Chile. Participants answered a survey, either online or face to face, with questions about life and food-related life satisfaction, perceived social support from family, friends, and others, food quality, financial wellbeing/distress, sociodemographic characteristics, and prior COVID-19 infection.

Results

Using a latent profile analysis, we identified three profiles of older adults: Profile 1: Unsatisfied with their life, somewhat satisfied with their food-related life (5.40%); Profile 2: Somewhat satisfied with their life, satisfied with their food-related life (65.06%); Profile 3: Extremely satisfied with their life and food-related life (29.54%). Profiles differed by residence (institutionalized vs. independent), age, marital status, social support, financial wellbeing, COVID-19 infection, and city of residence.

Discussion

The patterns of association between life and food-related satisfaction and related variables indicate conditions of vulnerability and protection related to living conditions, the social dimensions of food consumption, and social support. These results underscore the need for identifying groups of older adults based on diverse characteristics and conditions outside of chronological age.

Suspecting the Figures: What Church Leaders Think About Government's Commitment to Combating COVID-19 in Nigeria

Public trust in government can significantly determine the outcome of health policies in any society. Hence, studies have been gauging peoples' level of trust in their governments' commitment and capacity to win the fight against COVID-19. However, these studies have omitted religious leaders. This is despite the fact that religious leaders play key roles in the area of health in many societies. The present study, therefore, explored the opinions church leaders have about the credibility of the COVID-19 statistics and other government responses in Nigeria. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 church leaders drawn from Anglican, Catholic, and Pentecostal churches in Nigeria. A descriptive narrative approach was employed in the thematic organization and analysis of data. Findings show that only one participant expressed confidence in the credibility of the COVID-19 statistics and other government's responses. The rest, with the exception of one participant who was uncertain, was distributed between those who believe the statistics and other government efforts are exaggerated and those who believe they are false. The study also found that denominational affiliation mattered with respect to the perceptions about the credibility of the COVID-19 statistics and other government responses. Implications of findings for policy and research are discussed.

Are distributional preferences for safety stable? A longitudinal analysis before and after the COVID-19 outbreak

Policy makers aim to respect public preferences when making trade-offs between policies, yet most estimates of the value of safety neglect individuals' preferences over how safety is distributed. Incorporating these preferences into policy first requires measuring them. Arroyos-Calvera et al. (2019) documented that people cared most about efficiency, but that equity followed closely, and self-interest mattered too, but not enough to override preferences for efficiency and equity. Early 2020 saw the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This event would impose major changes in how people perceived and experienced risk to life, creating an opportunity to test whether safety-related preferences are stable and robust to important contextual changes. Further developing Arroyos-Calvera et al.'s methodology and re-inviting an international general population sample of participants that had taken part in pre-pandemic online surveys in 2017 and 2018, we collected an April 2020 wave of the survey and showed that overall preferences for efficiency, equity and self-interest were remarkably stable before and after the pandemic outbreak. We hope this offers policy makers reassurance that once these preferences have been elicited from a representative sample of the population, they need not be re-estimated after important contextual changes.

Sub-Saharan African communities' experiences and engagement with COVID-19 and the related control strategies in Antwerp, Belgium

BACKGROUND

Pre-existing racial/ethnic disparities in health, sustained by intersecting socio-economic and structural inequities, have widened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, little attention has been paid to the lived experiences of people in ethnic/racialised minority communities, and to the causes and effects underlying the COVID-19-related burden. This hinders tailored responses. This study explores Sub-Saharan African (SSA) communities' needs, perceptions, and experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and its control measures in Antwerp (Belgium) in 2020.

METHODS

This qualitative study using an interpretative ethnographical approach adopted an iterative and participatory methodology: a community advisory board advised on all stages of the research process. Interviews and a group discussion were conducted online, through telephone, and face-to-face. We analysed the data inductively using a thematic analytical approach.

RESULTS

Our respondents, who mostly used social media for information, struggled with misinformation about the new virus and prevention measures. They reported to be vulnerable to misinformation about the origin of the pandemic, risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2, and the prevention measures. Not only did the epidemic affect SSA communities, but to a larger extent, the control strategies did-especially the lockdown. Respondents perceived the interaction of social factors (i.e. being migrants, being undocumented, having experienced racism and discrimination) and economic factors (i.e. working in temporary and precarious jobs, not being able to apply for unemployment benefit, crowded housing conditions) as increasing the burden of COVID-19 control measures. In turn, these experiences influenced people's perceptions and attitudes, and may have partially impaired them to follow some public health COVID-19 prevention guidelines. Despite these challenges, communities developed bottom-up initiatives to react quickly to the epidemic, including translation of prevention messages, food distribution, and online spiritual support.

CONCLUSION

Pre-existing disparities influenced the perceptions of and attitudes towards COVID-19 and its control strategies among SSA communities. To better design support and control strategies targeted to specific groups, we need to not only involve communities and address their specific needs and concerns, but also build on their strengths and resilience. This will remain important in the context of widening disparities and future epidemics.

Consumers' willingness to pay for health claims during the COVID-19 pandemic: A moderated mediation analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a substantial threat to people's lives and raised health concerns. This research explores the mediating role of consumers' attitudes towards health claims in the relationship between consumers' interest in health claims and their willingness to pay (WTP) for health claims in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Additionally, we examine the moderation effect of COVID-19 risk perception in the relationship between consumers' interest in and attitudes towards health claims. Data were collected through an online survey in three countries: Spain, the UK and Chile. Findings confirm the mediating role of consumers' attitudes towards health claims. Furthermore, the relationship between consumers' interest and their attitudes towards health claims was stronger when COVID-19 risk perception was higher.

Geographic and demographic variation in worry about extreme heat and COVID-19 risk in summer 2020

Extreme heat is a major health hazard that is exacerbated by ongoing human-caused climate change. However, how populations perceive the risks of heat in the context of other hazards like COVID-19, and how perceptions vary geographically, are not well understood. Here we present spatially explicit estimates of worry among the U.S. public about the risks of heat and COVID-19 during the summer of 2020, using nationally representative survey data and a multilevel regression and poststratification (MRP) model. Worry about extreme heat and COVID-19 varies both across states and across demographic groups, in ways that reflect disparities in the impact of each risk. Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino populations, who face greater health impacts from both COVID-19 and extreme heat due to institutional and societal inequalities, also tend to be much more worried about both risks than white, non-Hispanic populations. Worry about heat and COVID-19 were correlated at the individual and population level, and patterns tended to be related to underlying external factors associated with the risk environment. In the face of a changing climate there is an urgent need to address disparities in heat risk and develop responses that ensure the most at-risk populations are protected.

Cognitive and Behavioral Factors Predicting the Decision to Vaccinate against COVID-19 in Clinical Psychiatric Population-A Cross-Sectional Survey

The spread of the COVID-19 virus created more than a medical crisis, while it also negatively affected the mental health of the general population. This context increased the vulnerability of the psychiatric population. While research interest highly targeted vaccine hesitancy and acceptance, many studies focused on trust issues-both in vaccine efficacy and in communication with authorities. Less is known about the psychological underpinnings of the COVID vaccination decision, specifically in the high-uncertainty circumstances due to the novelty of the virus. In a cross-sectional study, we investigated the predictive value of several cognitive (perceived risk, vulnerability, uncertainty, and trust in one's decision) and behavioral (previous vaccinations, social media use, and practicing preventive behavior) factors, for the vaccination decision against COVID-19, for 252 psychiatric inpatients (data collected between September 2021 and February 2022). Demographics and diagnostics were also considered. We found a significant relationship between the "Perceived risk of vaccination" and the choice of vaccination (χ2(2, N = 252) = 58.59, p ≤ 0.001), and between the "Trust in own decision to vaccinate" and the decision to vaccinate (χ2(2, N = 252) = 31,5, p ≤ 0.001). The overall regression model was statistically significant (χ2 (9, N = 252) = 97.1, p < 0.001), with between 30% and 45% of the variance in the odds of a positive decision explained by the predictor set. The model coefficients analysis showed that an individual with a psychiatric disorder but with higher confidence in their decision had significant (p < 0.001) increased odds of the decision to vaccinate against COVID-19 by 893%. A former voluntary vaccination did not significantly associate with the decision to vaccinate against COVID-19 (χ2(1, N = 252) = 2.74, p > 0.05) in this special population. No other behavioral factors, diagnosis, or demographics were significant as predictors, for the clinical psychiatric population surveyed, except the educational level. Implications for future vaccination acceptance of this special population are discussed.

How do online users perceive health risks during public health emergencies? Empirical evidence from China

Background

The global COVID-19 pandemic has posed a major threat to human life and health, and new media technologies have intensified the spread of risk perception.

Purpose

This study aimed to explore the impact of risk information ground on online users' perceived health risks, and further explore the mediating role of psychological distance and the moderating role of self-efficacy.

Methods

A total of 25 Internet users from different provinces in China were interviewed in-depth, NVIVO.11 was used to qualitatively analyze the interview text data and construct a theoretical model. A total of 492 interviewees were recruited in order to complete a scenario questionnaire, SPSS-27 was used to perform orthogonal experiments, generate eight combinatorial scenarios, analyze demographic data, and clean and prepare data for testing hypotheses. SmartPLS 3.0 was used to test the conceptual model using the structural equation model (SEM) of the partial least squares (PLS).

Results

The analysis of the SEM model shows that all planned hypotheses (Information fluency → Information diagnosability, Information extensibility → Information diagnosability, Information diagnosability → Psychological distance, Platform interactivity → Scenario embeddedness, Network connectivity → Scenario embeddedness, Scenario embeddedness → Psychological distance, Psychological distance → Risk perception, Psychological distance → Self-efficacy → Risk perception, Information fluency → Information diagnosability → Psychological distance → Risk perception, Information extensibility → Information diagnosability → Psychological distance → Risk perception, Platform interactivity → Scenario embeddedness → Psychological distance → Risk perception, Network connectivity → Scenario embeddedness → Psychological distance → Risk perception) are confirmed.

Conclusion

This study found that the information ground factors significantly affect online users' perceptions of health risks, psychological distance mediates the effect of information ground factors on risk perception, and self-efficacy negatively moderates the effect of psychological distance on risk perception.

Greater knowledge about COVID-19, more negative emotions. Research in adult Poles after 2nd and 5th waves of the pandemic

Introduction: The study investigated the dynamics of cognitive and emotional representation of COVID-19 in adult Poles, following the second (2021) and the fifth (2022) wave of the pandemic. Material and methods: The study involved a total of 303 subjects (N = 198 in Survey 1 in 2021, and N = 105 in Survey 2 in 2022). The following measures were used: a questionnaire covering demographic data and general opinions about COVID-19 as well as the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R). Results: After the fifth wave, significantly more respondents were convinced that COVID-19 was a real and dangerous disease. Cognitive deficits were more commonly recognised among symptoms of the viremia. Vaccination against COVID-19 was recognised as an essential preventive measure. Both surveys showed that COVID-19 representation was characterised by negative emotions and low sense of illness coherence. However, there was increased belief that the disease can be controlled through medical interventions. The age of the respondents in Survey 1 and Survey 2 was differently related to beliefs about COVID-19. Conclusions: 1. After 2.5 years of the pandemic, the awareness of Poles about the causes, symptoms and methods of preventing the disease has increased. 2. Failure to vaccinate against COVID-19 has been identified as a significant cause of viremia. 3. Negative emotions and a sense of serious consequences were predominant in both Surveys, but after the fifth wave of the pandemic the scores reflect increased perception of the chronic nature of the disease and belief that the illness can be treated with medication, whereas the sense of personal control was found to decrease. 4. After the fifth wave of the pandemic, older age corresponded to increased belief in the relevance of some preventive measures, and to greater awareness of the viral origin, increased belief in the feasibility of controlling the disease through one's behaviours and a greater sense of illness coherence. 5. The intensification of negative emotions related to the pandemic can be treated as a predictor of the increase in adjustment disorders and risk of mental health deterioration among adult Poles in the following years. Keywords: cognitive and emotional representation of illness, COVID-19 pandemic, Polish adults

Perceptions of COVID-19 among frontline health workers in Burkina Faso

Introduction

In Burkina Faso, the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in March 2020. Health personnel are on the front line of COVID-19 control, and it is important to understand their perceptions and knowledge of the disease. The objective was to determine the knowledge and perceptions of healthcare personnel of COVID-19 in the city of Ouagadougou.

Method

The study was conducted in five plots in the city of Ouagadougou. A total of 20 health workers from public and private health centers in the city of Ouagadougou were selected during May 2020. In-depth individual interviews were conducted, and a thematic analysis was performed using NVIVO.

Results and discussion

The routes of transmission identified were promiscuity, respiratory tract, and physical contact. Various symptoms have been noted, such as fever, cough, and runny nose. However, they recognize that these symptoms are not sufficient to make a diagnosis of COVID-19. Similarly, the treatments mentioned are modern medicine and phytomedicine.

Conclusion

The research has generated information on healthcare workers' knowledge and perceptions of COVID-19. Therefore, they are useful for decision-making regarding protective measures for health workers in the management of COVID-19.

Health-related social media use and COVID-19 anxiety in adolescence: health anxiety as covariate and moderator

Background

Adolescents can benefit from engagement with health-related content on social media (e.g., viewing, commenting, or sharing content related to diseases, prevention, or healthy lifestyle). Nevertheless, such content may be distressing or exaggerated and present a challenge to mental well-being, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rumination about such content may lead to COVID-19 anxiety. Yet, the individual factors that would explain the association between health-related social media use (SMU) and COVID-19 anxiety are understudied.

Objective

In the current study, we aimed to fill the gap by investigating the association between health-related social media use (SMU) and COVID-19 anxiety in light of several individual factors: health anxiety, eHealth literacy, and mild and severe experience with COVID-19 infection. We (1) studied the relationship between individual factors and health-related SMU, (2) tested health anxiety as a moderator in the association between health-related SMU and COVID-19 anxiety, and (3) explored a direct effect of experience with COVID-19 on COVID-19 anxiety.

Methods

Using structural equation modeling, we analyzed cross-sectional data from a representative sample of 2,500 Czech adolescents aged 11-16, 50% girls. Sociodemographic measures, health-related SMU, COVIDCOVID-19 anxiety, health anxiety, eHealth literacy, and mild and severe experience with COVID-19 infection were assessed with an anonymous online survey. The data were collected in June 2021.

Results

We conducted a path analysis to test the main relationships and an additional simple-slopes analysis to explore the moderating effect of health anxiety. Higher health anxiety and eHealth literacy were associated with increased health-related SMU. The effect of experience with COVID-19 infection on both COVID-19 anxiety and health-related SMU was negligible. Health-related SMU and COVID-19 anxiety were positively associated, however, only for adolescents high in health anxiety. For other adolescents, the two variables were unrelated.

Conclusion

Our findings show that adolescents with higher health anxiety and eHealth literacy engage in health-related SMU more intensively. Furthermore, for adolescents high in health anxiety, the frequency of health-related SMU is associated with the risk of COVID-19 anxiety. This is likely due to differences in media use. Adolescents with high health anxiety may use social media for content that is more likely to lead to COVID-19 anxiety compared to other adolescents. We recommend focusing on the identification of such content, which may lead to more precise recommendations regarding health-related SMU compared to cut-back on the frequency of overall SMU.

The scientistic worldview and its relationships with fear of COVID, conspiracy beliefs, preventive behaviors, and attitudes towards vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Polish sample

BACKGROUND

The scientistic worldview is characterized by the tendency to justify beliefs and behavior with scientific findings and to function on the basis of theorems and opinions formulated by scientists. The aim of this study was to test whether the attitudes typical for the scientistic worldview could be related to beliefs and behaviors that may reduce the risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

The study was conducted on a Polish sample of 1286 participants, using an online survey platform. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires to measure attitudes towards vaccines on COVID-19, the scientistic worldview, fear of COVID, conspiracy beliefs about the COVID-19 pandemic, and preventive behaviors undertaken. Participants were also asked about their personal experiences with the pandemic.

RESULTS

The study showed that the scientistic worldview was associated with a higher fear of COVID, a higher level of containment-related behavior, a lower level of conspiracy beliefs about the COVID-19 pandemic, and more positive attitudes towards vaccination against COVID-19. A structural model of relations between the studied variables turned out to be very effective and explained 51% of the variance of containment-related behavior and 63% of the variance of attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccines.

CONCLUSIONS

The study found that preventive behaviors and attitudes towards vaccination against COVID-19 were weakly related to personal experiences during the pandemic but significantly correlated with psychological variables. The results suggest that very positive, scientistic attitudes towards science may be related to higher adherence to science-based public health recommendations.

Shared understandings of vaccine hesitancy: How perceived risk and trust in vaccination frame individuals' vaccine acceptance

Extensive research has framed vaccine hesitancy as a property of a heterogeneous group of individuals, ranging from total acceptance to complete refusal. Nevertheless, not much research has explored this heterogeneity, mainly focusing on central tendencies of single belief-related items. Using data from an original survey on a sample of Italian citizens, this paper examines this heterogeneity, exploiting individuals' cognitive variation to map clusters of individuals who share similar cognitive schemas on vaccine uptake. The results showed the existence three groups, characterized by a different articulation of predictors of vaccine hesitancy, revealing different understandings of vaccine uptake. We then analyzed within-cluster characteristics and showed that cognitive segmentation was connected to different levels of perceived risk, confidence, and support for vaccination. We further showed that cognitive clustering also entailed a mean of social stratification that was correlated with individuals' educational levels, and that the predictors of vaccine hesitancy were articulated differently in each group. This study, adopting a recent perspective in the analysis of systems of beliefs, moves one step further in disentangling the complexity of vaccine acceptance. Results suggested the usefulness of including individuals' cognitive characteristics in vaccine hesitancy research and in the development of interventions addressed at increasing vaccine acceptance.

Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Risk Perceptions and Motivations for COVID-19 Preventive Measures Based on EPPM-A Polish Qualitative Pilot Study

COVID-19 has been a "major interrupting event" during which individuals largely relied on intuitive risk perceptions as precursors of COVID-19 health behaviors. Given the strong correlation between risk perceptions and the adoption of preventive measures, this pilot study attempts to explore how Polish society perceives COVID-19 health risks from the point of view of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. The Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) constitutes the basis for this research. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted, one with participants who had received COVID-19 vaccinations and the other with participants who had not. Conventional and directed content analyses were used to examine the data from the FGDs. Five categories emerged from the data: COVID-19 risk perceptions, coping with the pandemic, sources of knowledge, distrust, and pandemic fatigue. All categories fit into the theoretical constructs of the EPPM. Both groups have a high-perceived vulnerability to COVID-19 infection and recognize its seriousness. Individuals also have a high perceived response self-efficacy, given their awareness of COVID-19 preventive measures and how these should be applied. Nonetheless, particularly the unvaccinated, are skeptical about the effectiveness of the implemented measures, showing low perceived response efficacy. Future communication strategies should target the effectiveness of COVID-19 preventive measures, and one's perceived response efficacy, to improve adherence to public health measures.

The Relationship Between Barriers and Drivers of COVID-19 Protective Behaviors in Germany and the UK

Objectives: To explore and evaluate the impact of factors including public risk perceptions on COVID-19 protective behaviors across the UK and Germany. Methods: We used survey data collected from a representative sample for Germany and the UK (total N = 1,663) between April and May 2021. Using a Structural Equation Model, we evaluate the role of personal health risk perceptions, official message quality, source of news, age and political orientation on COVID-19 protective behaviors in the context of German and UK risk communication strategies. Results: Personal health risk perceptions had a significant positive influence on protective behaviors. Economic risk perceptions had a negative direct influence on protective behaviors, particularly in Germany, as well as a positive indirect influence. Official message quality, use of official news sources and age had positive impacts on risk perceptions and protective behaviors. Left-wing political orientation was linked to greater likelihood of undertaking protective behaviors. Conclusion: For future pandemics, more attention should be paid to evaluating and conceptualizing different varieties of risk perceptions, risk communication strategies, and demographic variables alongside their impacts on undertaking protective behaviors.

Perception risk, preventive behaviors and assessing the relationship between their various dimensions: A cross-sectional study in the Covid-19 peak period

The Covid-19 epidemic is known as "the deadliest plague of the century" that has overshadowed various aspects of human life. Despite mutations in SARS-CoV-2, the development of new strains, and the escape of immunity, preventive health behaviors continue to play a key role in controlling this epidemic. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between risk perception and the performance of preventive behaviors of people in the Covid-19 peak period in society. This anonymous online survey was conducted with 1950 people in 30 provinces of Iran. The results showed that by increasing the score of cognitive, social and emotional structures of people's perception of risk, their performance in following health recommendations increases.

Stressors and perceived consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults: a cross-sectional study using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

BACKGROUND

The indirect consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults, such as stress, are unknown. We sought to describe the stressors and perceived consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults in Canada and to evaluate differences by socioeconomic factors.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging COVID-19 Exit Questionnaire (September-December 2020). A 12-item checklist was used to assess stressors (e.g., income loss, separation from family) experienced during the pandemic, and a single question was used to measure perceived consequences. We used a generalized linear model with a binomial distribution and log link to estimate prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between socioeconomic factors, stressors and perceived consequences.

RESULTS

Among the 23 972 older adults (aged 50-96 yr) included in this study, 17 977 (75.5%) reported at least 1 stressor during the pandemic, with 5796 (24.4%) experiencing 3 or more stressors. The consequences of the pandemic were perceived as negative by 23 020 (63.1%) participants. Females were more likely to report most stressors than males, such as separation from family (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.31, 95% CI 1.28-1.35). The perceived consequences of the pandemic varied by region; residents of Quebec were less likely to perceive the consequences of the pandemic as negative (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.87, 95% CI 0.84-0.91) than those of the Atlantic provinces.

INTERPRETATION

These findings suggest that older adults across Canada experienced stressors and perceived the pandemic consequences as negative, though stressors and perceptions of consequences varied by socioeconomic factors and geography, highlighting inequalities. Future research will be needed to estimate the impact of stress during the pandemic on future health outcomes.

Can advertising enhance consumers' desirable COVID-19 health behavioral intentions? The role of brand-pandemic fit

This article explores the fit between the advertised brand and the pandemic as a potential influence on consumers' intentions to engage in socially responsible health behaviors (social distancing, mask wearing, and getting tested when exposed). In an advanced and emerging market setting we find that advertisements for brands that are perceived as high on brand-pandemic fit enhance consumers' socially desirable COVID-19 health behavioral intentions and changes in brand credibility is the mechanism that drives such intentions. Fit is especially beneficial on the intentions of consumers whose health beliefs reflect only low to moderate concern about COVID-19. Consumers with low or moderate (vs. high) COVID-19 health beliefs exhibit an increased susceptibility to the fit-desirable health behavioral intentions relationship. The results are also corroborated in an emerging market context. Together, the results establish links between brand-pandemic fit of advertisements, brand credibility, health beliefs, and consumers' intentions to engage in socially desirable health behaviors. The results suggest that advertising can play a role in encouraging desirable health behaviors and can promote consumer welfare via ads of high fit products and services that provide benefits during the pandemic in both advanced and emerging markets.

Risk perceptions and COVID-19 protective behaviors: A two-wave longitudinal study of epidemic and post-epidemic periods

We investigated how perceived risk and protective behaviors changed as the coronavirus epidemic progressed. A longitudinal sample of 538 people responded to a COVID-19 risk perception questionnaire during the outbreak and post-epidemic periods. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), we examined the mean level change of selected constructs and differences in their relationships. We tested a risk perception pathway in which affective attitude, informed by experience, shaped risk perceptions and protective behaviors. The model also postulated a social pathway in which cultural worldviews, like individualism and hierarchy, predicted risk perceptions and protective behaviors through social norms. Latent mean difference analyses revealed a decrease in social distancing behaviors and an increase in hygiene-cleanliness, corresponding to a reduction in risk perceptions and social norms and a rise in direct and indirect experience, while affective attitude remained substantially stable. Cross-sectional and longitudinal path analyses showed that affective risk perception, primarily informed by affective attitude, and social norms promoted behavior consistency regardless of epidemic contingencies. Instead, analytic risk perceptions were linked to protective behaviors only during the outbreak. Although risk perceptions dropped over time, analytic risk perceptions dropped more steeply than affective risk perceptions. Our findings supported the distinction between affective and deliberative processes in risk perception, reinforcing the view that affective reactions are needed to deploy analytic processes. Our study also supports the claim that perceived social norms are essential to understanding cultural worldview-related protective behaviors variability.

Perceived risk and sensitivity and their influence on expatriate performance during the COVID‐19 pandemic

The COVID 19 pandemic has changed the way that global businesses function, and has been the driving force behind a reevaluation of the factors that influence expatriate performance. This study empirically examines the mediating effects of perceived risk and sensitivity in the relationship between self‐initiated expatriates support mechanisms (perceived organizational support and host‐country national support) and expatriate performance during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The data from 114 expatriates working and residing in Malaysia between March 27 and May 14, 2020 was analyzed using structural equation modelling. The results from the study indicate that host country national support significantly influences expatriate performance indirectly through expatriate engagement, while perceived risk and sensitivity moderate the relationship between perceived organizational support and host country national support through expatriate engagement. The integration of factors that influence work performance during a pandemic, such as perceived risk and sensitivity, leads to a more concise view of expatriation. Organizations need to be more prepared in terms of risk induced scenarios, and propose suitable intervention programs to mitigate the potential negative outcomes due to a pandemic.

COVID-19 Infections in Cancer Patients Were Frequently Asymptomatic: Description From a French Prospective Multicenter Cohort (PAPESCO-19)

Background

Cancer patients (CPs) are considered more vulnerable and as a high mortality group regarding COVID-19. In this analysis, we aimed to describe asymptomatic COVID (+) CPs and associated factors.

Methods

We conducted a prospective study in CPs and health care workers (HCWs) in 4 French cancer centers (PAPESCO [PAtients et PErsonnels de Santé des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer pendant l'épidémie de COvid-19] study). This analysis used data recorded between June 17, 2020 and November 30, 2020 in CPs (first 2 waves, no variants). At inclusion and quarterly, CPs reported the presence of predefined COVID-19 symptoms and had a blood rapid diagnostic test; a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was done in case of suspected infection.

Results

A total 878 CPs were included; COVID-19 prevalence was similar in both CPs (8%) and HCWs (9.5%); of the 70 CPs (8%) who were COVID (+), 29 (41.4%) were and remained asymptomatic; 241/808 of the COVID (-) (29.8%) were symptomatic. 18 COVID (+) were hospitalized (2% of CPs), 1 in intensive care unit (ICU) and 1 died (0.1% of CPs and 2.4% of symptomatic COVID [+] CPs). Only the inclusion center was associated with clinical presentation (in Nancy, Angers, Nantes, and Clermont-Ferrand: 65.4%, 35%, 28.6%, and 10% CPs were asymptomatic, respectively).

Conclusions

Seroprevalence of COVID-19 in CPs was similar to that observed in HCWs; mortality related to COVID-19 among CPs was 0.1%. More than 40% of COVID (+) CPs were asymptomatic and one third of COVID (-) CPs had symptoms. Only geographic origin was associated with the presence or absence of symptoms. Social distancing and protective measures must be applied in CPs at home and when hospitalized.

Risk perceptions and health care use in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic in adults treated for childhood cancer

Purpose

During the COVID-19 pandemic, childhood cancer survivors (CCS) may have felt more at risk of having severe consequences of COVID-19 and therefore may have been more likely to defer their health care use. We aimed to assess the risk perceptions of CCS related to COVID-19 (perceived infection risk, perceived risk of experiencing a severe illness in the event of infection), and their forgoing of health care during the year 2020.

Methods

In December 2020, we interviewed through an online self-report questionnaire 580 5-year CCS participating in the French Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (FCCSS) cohort. Combining clinical and patient-reported outcomes, we studied predictors of perceived risks related to COVID-19 and forgoing health care.

Results

Overall, 60% of respondents stated that COVID-19 could have severe consequences for their health if infected. Survivors with a cardiovascular disease and those who felt more at risk of being infected were more likely to think that COVID-19 could have severe health consequences for them. Moreover, 30% of respondents seeking care declared they had forgone at least one medical appointment in 2020. Forgoing medical appointments was more common among CCS who reported a deterioration in their financial situation in 2020 and those who felt more at risk of being infected.

Conclusions

This study shows that a considerable proportion of survivors had forgone medical appointments because of the pandemic; forgoing care was more frequent among the most socioeconomically disadvantaged survivors.

Implications for cancer survivors.

This study presents data hitherto absent in the literature and suggests the need to develop telehealth to ensure appropriate long-term follow-up of CCS.

A content analysis of Canadian influencer crisis messages on Instagram and the public’s response during COVID-19

Successful mitigation of emerging infectious disease requires that the public adopt recommended behaviours, which is directly influenced by effective crisis communication. Social media has become an important communication channel during COVID-19 where official actors, influencers, and the public are co-creating crisis messages. Our research examined COVID-19-related crisis messages across Canadian influencer accounts within news media, politicians, public health and government, science communicators, and brand influencer and celebrities, posted on Instagram between December 2019 and March 2021 for Health Belief Model and Extended Parallel Processing Model constructs and the corresponding public comment sentiment and engagement. Thirty-three influencer accounts resulted in a total of 2,642 Instagram posts collected, along with 461,436 comments, which showed overall low use of constructs in both captions and images. Further, most posts used no combinations (n = 0 or 1 construct per post) of constructs in captions and images and very infrequently used captions that combined threat (severity and susceptibility) with cues to action and efficacy. Brand influencers and celebrities, politicians, and science communicators had above average post engagement while public health and government and news media had lower. Finally, most influencers saw the largest proportion of neutral sentiment comments. Crisis messages must be designed to include combinations of constructs that increase message acceptance and influence risk perception and efficacy to increase the adoption of recommended and mandated behaviours.

Individual risk-aversion responses tune epidemics to critical transmissibility (R = 1)

Changes in human behaviour are a major determinant of epidemic dynamics. Collective activity can be modified through imposed control measures, but spontaneous changes can also arise as a result of uncoordinated individual responses to the perceived risk of contagion. Here, we introduce a stochastic epidemic model implementing population responses driven by individual time-varying risk aversion. The model reveals an emergent mechanism for the generation of multiple infection waves of decreasing amplitude that progressively tune the effective reproduction number to its critical value R = 1. In successive waves, individuals with gradually lower risk propensity are infected. The overall mechanism shapes well-defined risk-aversion profiles over the whole population as the epidemic progresses. We conclude that uncoordinated changes in human behaviour can by themselves explain major qualitative and quantitative features of the epidemic process, like the emergence of multiple waves and the tendency to remain around R = 1 observed worldwide after the first few waves of COVID-19.

Stability of Risk Perception Across Pandemic and Non-pandemic Situations Among Young Adults: Evaluating the Impact of Individual Differences

Previous research suggests a higher perceived risk associated with a risky behavior predicts a lower likelihood of involvement in that behavior; however, this relationship can vary based on personality characteristics such as impulsivity and behavioral activation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals began to re-evaluate the level of risk associated with everyday behaviors. But what about risks associated with "typical" risk-taking behaviors? In the present study, 248 undergraduate student participants completed measures of impulsivity, behavioral activation and inhibition, propensity to take risks, numeracy, and perceptions of and involvement in both risk-taking behavior and health promoting behavior (e.g., blood donation, registering as an organ donor, vaccination). Our study revealed that higher behavioral inhibition and greater propensity to take risks predicted greater likelihood of involvement in COVID-19-related risk behaviors, even after accounting for perceived risks and benefits of the behavior. Greater likelihood of involvement in social risk behaviors was predicted by greater numeracy and risk-taking propensity. Identifying as male, a greater propensity to take risks, and greater impulsivity predicted increased health/safety risk behaviors. Younger age, lower risk-taking propensity, and lower impulsivity were associated with a greater likelihood of donating blood. For the likelihood of registering to become an organ donor, increasing risk perception, both before and during the pandemic, was associated with greater likelihood of registering, but greater risk-taking propensity was associated with a decreased likelihood of organ donation registration. For flu vaccination, a greater propensity to take risks was associated with a greater likelihood of flu vaccination during the 2020-2021 flu season. Both cognitive and personality factors can predict involvement in risk-taking and health-promotion behaviors, warranting their continued examination.

Positive and negative experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic among lonely and non-lonely populations in Germany

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing an epidemic of loneliness. Previous studies have shown the differences in positive and negative experiences of lonely and non-lonely people in a non-pandemic setting. However, it is unclear how the drastic alteration of the COVID-19 pandemic may influence peoples' reactions and beliefs, especially among those who feel lonely. Our study aims to examine the positive and negative experiences among lonely and non-lonely people. We undertook a cross-sectional online survey of the general population in Germany (N = 1,758) from May 2020 to May 2022. We assessed their feelings of loneliness with the short eight-item UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8), their positive and negative experience of living in the COVID-19 pandemic as well as their psychological distress regarding the pandemic with the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI). We found lonely individuals (ULS-8 score ≥ 16) reported fewer positive experiences of living in the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, less time with loved ones [z _{(1, 756)} = -2.5, p = 0.012] and less sense of togetherness [z _{(1, 756)} = -2.39, p = 0.017] as compared to non-lonely individuals. Meanwhile, they experienced more negative experiences, for example, worry and fear [z _{(1, 756)} = 6.31, p < 0.001] compared with non-lonely individuals. Interestingly, lonely people were less likely to view the pandemic as a conspiracy than non-lonely people were [z _{(1, 756)} = -3.35, p < 0.001]. Our results may give insight into attribution bias and the negative affect of lonely people during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as highlight the experience of non-lonely people and raise the question of differences in conspiracy beliefs. For pandemic preparedness and response, decision-makers may focus on interventions to foster social cohesion, empower people, build resilience, and most importantly provide timely social care.

Risk perception, social distancing, and distress during COVID-19 pandemic: Exploring the role of online counseling and perceived social support

The study explored the relationship between social distancing and distress along with risk factors of social distancing. Further, online counseling/mental health services and perceived social support were tested as possible moderators between social distancing and distress. Valid and reliable measures were used to collect the data from 300 Indian respondents. Process use of social networking platforms was found to significantly explain social distancing. Online counseling/mental health services and perceived social support moderated the relationship between social distancing and distress. Only 16% of the respondents used online mental health services during the study period. Lack of awareness and acceptance of these services were major barriers.

COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among Syrian population: a nationwide cross-sectional study

Background

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 continues to spread globally and in the absence of an effective treatment, the vaccine remains the best hope for controlling this disease. In this study, we seek to find out the extent to which people in Syria accept the Corona vaccine and what are the factors that affect their decision.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in Syria during the period from January 3 to March 17, 2021. A structured self-administered questionnaire was distributed in two phases: The first phase included distributing the questionnaire as a Google Form on social media platforms. In the second phase, a paper version of the questionnaire was handed to patients, their companions, and workers in public hospitals. SPSS v.25 and R v.4.1.1 were used to analyze the data. Pearson Chi-square test and Logistic Regression were used to study the associations between categorical groups.

Results

Of 7531 respondents, 3505 (46.5%) were males and 4026 (53.5%) were females. 3124 (41.5%) were 18–24 years old. Healthcare workers were participants’ main sources of information (50.9%), followed by Social Media users (46.3%). 2790 (37%) of the participant are willing to be vaccinated, and 2334 (31%) were uncertain about it. Fear of possible side effects was the main reason for the reluctance to take the vaccine 1615 (62.4%), followed by mistrust of the vaccine formula 1522 (58.8%). 2218 (29.5%) participants think COVID-19 poses a major risk to them personally. Vaccination intention was significantly associated with gender, residence, financial status, educational level, and geographic origin.

Conclusion

This study showed very negatively important results. The study participants Vaccination acceptance rate is almost the lowest when compared to its peers. A Lot of efforts should be made to correct misinformation about the vaccine and answer all questions about it, especially with a health system that has been ravaged by war for 10 years.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-12186-6.

Differences in Perceived Risk of Contracting SARS-CoV-2 during and after the Lockdown in Sub-Saharan African Countries

This study investigated risk perception of contracting and dying of SARS-CoV-2 in sub-Sahara Africa during and after the lockdown periods. Two online surveys were conducted one year apart, with participants 18 years and above living in sub-Sahara Africa or the diaspora. Each survey took four weeks. The first survey was taken from 18 April to 16 May 2020, i.e., during the lockdown. The second survey was taken from 14 April to 14 May 2021, i.e., after the lockdown. A cross-sectional study using adopted and modified questionnaires for both surveys were distributed through online platforms. Question about risks perception of contracting and dying of SARS-CoV-2 were asked. The Helsinki declaration was applied, and ethical approvals were obtained. Total responses for both surveys, i.e., both during and after the lockdown, was 4605. The mean age was similar in both surveys (18-28 years). The mean risk perception scores were higher after lockdown by 3.59%. Factors associated with risk perception of COVID-19 were survey period, age group, region of residence, and occupation. Non-health care workers had a lower risk perception of COVID-19. This first comparative study on the level of risk perception of Africans during and after the lockdown shows that one in every three and every four persons in sub-Sahara Africa felt at high risk of contracting COVID-19 and thought they could die from contracting the same, respectively.

Do cognitive styles affect vaccine hesitancy? A dual-process cognitive framework for vaccine hesitancy and the role of risk perceptions

RATIONALE

In this study, we consider cognitive differences in vaccine hesitancy and how perceived risks intervene in this relationship. Recent research agrees on the existence of two cognitive processes, intuitive and analytic cognition. Different individuals lean toward one of these processes with varying degrees of strength, influencing day-to-day behavior, perceptions, and decisions. Thinking dispositions might influence, at the same time, vaccine acceptance and perceived risks of vaccine-preventable disease, but the implications of individuals' cognitive differences for vaccination uptake have seldom been addressed from a sociological standpoint.

OBJECTIVE

We bridge this gap by adopting a dual-process framework of cognition and investigate how thinking styles have a direct association with vaccine hesitancy and an indirect one through perceptions of risk.

METHODS

We use data from original surveys carried out between September and November 2019 on a sample of the Italian population, participating in an online panel run by a major Italian survey company. We use Karlson, Holm, and Breen (KHB) decomposition to compare coefficients of nested-nonlinear models, separate the direct and indirect association of cognitive processes with vaccine hesitancy, and disentangle the contribution of each measure of risk perception.

RESULTS

Net of individual socio-demographic characteristics, intuitive thinking is positively associated with the likelihood of being vaccine hesitant, and this direct association is as important as the indirect one through risk perceptions. Affective risk perceptions account for over half of the indirect association, underlining the centrality of affective versus probabilistic approaches to risk perception.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the importance of including cognitive characteristics in vaccine hesitancy research, and empirically showing individuals' qualitatively complex perceptions of risks. Taking into account individuals' preferred cognitive style and affective concerns might be important in developing better tailored communication strategies to contain vaccine hesitancy.

"It Won't Happen to Us": Unrealistic Optimism Affects COVID-19 Risk Assessments and Attitudes Regarding Protective Behaviour

People generally believe that their own future will be better than the one of comparable others. Robust evidence documents such unrealistic optimism in many domains of life. Here, we examine how unrealistic optimism may affect people's risk assessments of COVID-19 infection as well as their attitudes regarding behaviours intended to protect against contagion. In two studies conducted in the USA (N = 160) and UK (N = 161), at different times during the pandemic, we show that participants considered the likelihood of contracting and carrying the infection lower for themselves and their close other compared to an acquaintance, while they considered the likelihood of engaging in protective behaviours higher for themselves and their close other than an acquaintance. The findings document unrealistic optimism in relation to COVID-19. Such biases are particularly critical in relation to infectious diseases, where underestimating the risk for both oneself and close others may reduce precautions and increase virus spreading.

Impacts of COVID-19 on urban rail transit ridership using the Synthetic Control Method

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 has had drastic impacts on urban economies and activities, with transit systems around the world witnessing an unprecedented decline in ridership. This paper attempts to estimate the effect of COVID-19 on the daily ridership of urban rail transit (URT) using the Synthetic Control Method (SCM). Six variables are selected as the predictors, among which four variables unaffected by the pandemic are employed. A total of 22 cities from Asia, Europe, and the US with varying timelines of the pandemic outbreak are selected in this study. The effect of COVID-19 on the URT ridership in 11 cities in Asia is investigated using the difference between their observed ridership reduction and the potential ridership generated by the other 11 cities. Additionally, the effect of the system closure in Wuhan on ridership recovery is analyzed. A series of placebo tests are rolled out to confirm the significance of these analyses. Two traditional methods (causal impact analysis and straightforward analysis) are employed to illustrate the usefulness of the SCM. Most Chinese cities experienced about a 90% reduction in ridership with some variation among different cities. Seoul and Singapore experienced a minor decrease compared to Chinese cities. The results suggest that URT ridership reductions are associated with the severity and duration of restrictions and lockdowns. Full system closure can have severe impacts on the speed of ridership recovery following resumption of service, as demonstrated in the case of Wuhan with about 22% slower recovery. The results of this study can provide support for policymakers to monitor the URT ridership during the recovery period and understand the likely effects of system closure if considered in future emergency events.

COVID-19-related attitudes, risk perceptions, preventive behaviours and economic impact in sub-Saharan African countries: implementing a longitudinal phone-based survey protocol in rural Senegalese households

INTRODUCTION

Rural areas are considered safe havens against the increased spread of COVID-19 and associated restrictive measures, especially in contexts where public authorities are not in a position to systematically and substantially ease COVID-19-induced economic shocks. In the current sub-Saharan Africa context, still marked by uncertainty surrounding the spread of COVID-19, we present the protocol of an ongoing longitudinal study aimed at investigating COVID-19-related attitudes, risks perceptions, preventive behaviours and economic impact in rural areas in Senegal.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A prospective randomised longitudinal study of 600 households located in three semiurban villages and nine randomly selected rural villages in the Niakhar area (located 135 km East of Dakar). Three ad hoc phone surveys are administered to 600 heads of households, their housewives in charge of managing the household and a relative living temporarily in the household, respectively. In addition to sharing identical sets of questions on several topics (risks perceptions, attitudes to curfew, attitudes to vaccines, beliefs about COVID-19 infection), the three separate survey questionnaires also include other topics (economic impact, local preventive strategies) whose related questions differ between questionnaires. As analysing evolutions is the study's primary focus, data on all the topics covered will be collected in three waves unless the spread of COVID-19 by mid-2021 justifies extending data collection. The present article presents the study protocol and details about the implementation of the first wave of data collection which started in July 2020. The decision to wait before presenting the protocol was based on the unprecedented context the COVID-19 pandemic.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The survey's protocol was approved by the Senegalese National Ethical Committee for Research in Health (131/MSAS/CNERS/Sec) and received authorisation from both the Senegalese Ministry of Health (619/MSAS/DPRS/DR) and the French Commission on Information Technology and Liberties (CNIL 2220771).