Attitudes towards lockdown, trust in institutions, and civic engagement: A study on Sicilians during the coronavirus lockdown

From the Public Health Perspective: a Scalable Model for Improving Epidemiological Testing Efficacy in Low- and Middle-Income Areas

The globe is an organically linked whole, and in the pandemic era, COVID-19 has brought heavy public safety threats and economic costs to humanity as almost all countries began to pay more attention to taking steps to minimize the risk of harm to society from sudden-onset diseases. It is worth noting that in some low- and middle-income areas, where the environment for epidemic detection is complex, the causative and comorbid factors are numerous, and where public health resources are scarce. It is often more difficult than in other areas to obtain timely and effective detection and control in the event of widespread virus transmission, which, in turn, is a constant threat to local and global public health security. Pandemics are preventable through effective disease surveillance systems, with nonpharmacological interventions (NPIs) as the mainstay of the control system, effectively controlling the spread of epidemics and preventing larger outbreaks. However, current state-of-the-art NPIs are not applicable in low- and middle-income areas and tend to be decentralized and costly. Based on a 3-year case study of SARS-CoV-2 preventive detection in low-income areas in south-central China, we explored a strategic model for enhancing disease detection efficacy in low- and middle-income areas. For the first time, we propose an integrated and comprehensive approach that covers structural, social, and personal strategies to optimize the epidemic surveillance system in low- and middle-income areas. This model can improve the local epidemic detection efficiency, ensure the health care needs of more people, reduce the public health costs in low- and middle-income areas in a coordinated manner, and ensure and strengthen local public health security sustainably.

Storing paediatric genomic data for sequential interrogation across the lifespan

Genomic sequencing (GS) is increasingly used in paediatric medicine to aid in screening, research and treatment. Some health systems are trialling GS as a first-line test in newborn screening programmes. Questions about what to do with genomic data after it has been generated are becoming more pertinent. While other research has outlined the ethical reasons for storing deidentified genomic data to be used in research, the ethical case for storing data for future clinical use has not been explicated. In this paper, we examine the ethical case for storing genomic data with the intention of using it as a lifetime health resource. In this model, genomic data would be stored with the intention of reanalysis at certain points through one's life. We argue this could benefit individuals and create an important public resource. However, several ethical challenges must first be met to achieve these benefits. We explore issues related to privacy, consent, justice and equality. We conclude by arguing that health systems should be moving towards futures that allow for the sequential interrogation of genomic data throughout the lifespan.

Social Environment and Attitudes toward COVID-19 Anti-Contagious Measures: An Explorative Study from Italy

Social and cultural aspects (i.e., political decision making, discourses in the public sphere, and people's mindsets) played a crucial role in the ways people responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Framed with the Semiotic-Cultural Psychological Theory (SCPT), the present work aims to explore how individual ways of making sense of their social environment affected individuals' perception of government measures aimed at managing the pandemic and the adherence to such measures. An online survey was administered from January to April 2021 to the Italian population. Retrieved questionnaires (N = 378) were analyzed through a Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) to detect the factorial dimensions underpinning (dis)similarities in the respondents' ways of interpreting their social environment. Extracted factors were interpreted as markers of Latent Dimensions of Sense (LDSs) organizing respondents' worldviews. Finally, three regression models tested the role of LDSs in supporting the individual satisfaction with the measures adopted to contain the social contagion defined at national level, individual adherence to the containment measures and the perception of the population's adherence to them. Results highlight that all the three measures are associated with a negative view of the social environment characterized by a lack of confidence in public institutions (health system, government), public roles and other people. Findings are discussed on the one hand to shed light on the role of deep-rooted cultural views in defining personal evaluations of government measures and adherence capacity. On the other hand, we suggest that taking into account people's meaning-making can guide public health officials and policy makers to comprehend what favors or hinders adaptive responses to emergencies or social crises.

Citizens' reactions to global crises: a longitudinal study during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel

This paper investigated citizens' reactions to global crises using the COVID-19 pandemic as a natural experiment. Theories in this field are controversial and thus knowledge on such reactions, their evolution, drivers, and consequences is limited. Building on several socio-psychological foundations such as trust building theories, the fear appeal theory, the theory of planned behavior, and the spillover theory, we explain developments in three major human responses: (1) perceptual and attitudinal responses such as trust in governance and interpersonal trust; (2) emotional responses such as fear of crises; and (3) behavioral responses such as civic engagement. Using a longitudinal design, we tracked the attitudes and behaviors of Israeli citizens over 22 months (7/2019-3/2021) and at four points in time (t1-t4). Findings are based on a time-lagged analysis of 3527 participants (n₁ = 602; n₂ = 750; n₃ = 970; n₄ = 1205), and a more focused analysis of panel data (n_1-4 = 256). In accordance with our theoretical foundations and specific models, we revealed a reaction pattern of shock→recognition→adjustment→reframing. We maintain that our findings improve understanding of citizens' reactions to government policies. They provide unique empirical evidence for resilience among citizens and across social structures which testify to bouncing-back capacities from global crises in various ways. Its lessons may thus direct future studies on the relationship between citizens and governments in other global crises and emergencies.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43545-023-00610-0.

The Role of Economic Stress, Health Concerns, and Institutional Trust in Supporting Public Protests against COVID-19 Lockdown Measures in Denmark

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, most governments around the world have adopted strict COVID-19 lockdown measures. In Denmark, mainly from January to March 2021, an anonymous protest group called Men in Black organized demonstrations against the Danish COVID-19 lockdown measures in the three major cities in Denmark. Based on an online survey that we carried out in March 2021 in the Danish population aged 16 years and above (n = 2692), we analyze the individual-level factors behind supporting these demonstrations. Based on ordered logit regressions, the results show that being Muslim and being self-employed (business owner) was positively related to supporting the demonstrations, and that age and living in a city municipality was negatively related to supporting the demonstrations. Based on structural equation modeling (SEM), the results showed that the municipal COVID-19 incidence rate mediates the effect of living in a city municipality, that institutional trust mediates the effect of being Muslim, and that COVID-19 health concerns and institutional trust mediate the effect of age. Overall, economic stress among business owners, health concerns, and institutional trust were found to be the main predictors of supporting the demonstrations against the COVID-19 lockdown measures in Denmark.

A cross-sectional international study shows confidence in public health scientists predicts use of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions

BACKGROUND

We examine the antecedents of COVID-19 phone tracking applications use, social distancing, and mask use, in the United States, Hong Kong and Japan.

METHODS

We draw on online panel surveys of over 1000 respondents each in the USA, Hong Kong and Japan, using broadly representative quota sample selections. Results are tested by ordinal logistic regression for the two ordinal dependent variables and logistic regression for phone app use.

RESULTS

Confidence in public health scientists predicts use of phone tracking applications, social distancing, and mask use, albeit statistically insignificant for tracer phone application use in Hong Kong. Trust in government predicts the use of a phone tracking application. Counterintuitively, trust in government is negatively and significantly associated with mask use and social distancing in Hong Kong and Japan. Women are more likely to wear masks and practice social distancing. Government employees are more likely to use a phone tracking application, but less likely to mask and social distance. Voting and civic participation are positively associated with trust in government and confidence in public health scientists, in all three countries. There are interesting variations across all three countries on other antecedents and controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Building and maintaining confidence in public health scientists provides a key tool to manage pandemics. Credible, effectively communicative - and independent - medical and scientific leaders may be central to pandemic control success. For digital measures, trust in government and privacy protection is central. Political and social factors are important to understand successful public health policy implementation.