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Liu YW, Tang CC. Health Beliefs, Protective Behaviors, and Information-Seeking. Nurs Res 2024; 73:158-165. [PMID: 38193910 DOI: 10.1097/nnr.0000000000000712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The outbreak of COVID-19 caused severe damage to public health globally and served as a stark reminder of the potential for future pandemics. Promoting protective behaviors to prevent the spread of any contagious disease thus remains a priority. Although research has shown that health beliefs can affect protective behaviors, few studies have examined the role of information-seeking in this relationship. OBJECTIVES On the basis of the health belief model, this research focused on whether health beliefs affect personal protective behaviors through health information-seeking behaviors. METHODS This cross-sectional study with a causal-comparative design used an online questionnaire to investigate the Taiwanese public's health beliefs, protective behaviors, and information-seeking behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS Between September 2021 and January 2022, 322 valid questionnaires were collected. The results revealed that the effects of two health beliefs-self-efficacy and perceived benefits-on handwashing, social distancing, practicing good cough etiquette, and keeping one's environment clean and well ventilated were partially mediated by the frequency of official information-seeking. DISCUSSION Results of this study support the regular and timely promotion of pandemic prevention measures through official sites. Promoting official information-seeking can help enhance protective behaviors.
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Dasgupta P, Amin J, Paris C, MacIntyre CR. News Coverage of Face Masks in Australia During the Early COVID-19 Pandemic: Topic Modeling Study. JMIR INFODEMIOLOGY 2023; 3:e43011. [PMID: 37379362 PMCID: PMC10434701 DOI: 10.2196/43011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 pandemic, web-based media coverage of preventative strategies proliferated substantially. News media was constantly informing people about changes in public health policy and practices such as mask-wearing. Hence, exploring news media content on face mask use is useful to analyze dominant topics and their trends. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to examine news related to face masks as well as to identify related topics and temporal trends in Australian web-based news media during the early COVID-19 pandemic period. METHODS Following data collection from the Google News platform, a trend analysis on the mask-related news titles from Australian news publishers was conducted. Then, a latent Dirichlet allocation topic modeling algorithm was applied along with evaluation matrices (quantitative and qualitative measures). Afterward, topic trends were developed and analyzed in the context of mask use during the pandemic. RESULTS A total of 2345 face mask-related eligible news titles were collected from January 25, 2020, to January 25, 2021. Mask-related news showed an increasing trend corresponding to increasing COVID-19 cases in Australia. The best-fitted latent Dirichlet allocation model discovered 8 different topics with a coherence score of 0.66 and a perplexity measure of -11.29. The major topics were T1 (mask-related international affairs), T2 (introducing mask mandate in places such as Melbourne and Sydney), and T4 (antimask sentiment). Topic trends revealed that T2 was the most frequent topic in January 2021 (77 news titles), corresponding to the mandatory mask-wearing policy in Sydney. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that Australian news media reflected a wide range of community concerns about face masks, peaking as COVID-19 incidence increased. Harnessing the news media platforms for understanding the media agenda and community concerns may assist in effective health communication during a pandemic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pritam Dasgupta
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Janaki Amin
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cecile Paris
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Data61, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - C Raina MacIntyre
- Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Cheung KKC, Chan HY, Erduran S. Communicating science in the COVID-19 news in the UK during Omicron waves: exploring representations of nature of science with epistemic network analysis. HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 10:282. [PMID: 37305352 PMCID: PMC10240474 DOI: 10.1057/s41599-023-01771-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
News media plays a vital role in communicating scientific evidence to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such communication is important for convincing the public to follow social distancing guidelines and to respond to health campaigns such as vaccination programmes. However, newspapers were criticised that they focus on the socio-political perspective of science, without explaining the nature of scientific works behind the government's decisions. This paper examines the connections of the nature of science categories in the COVID-19 era by four local newspapers in the United Kingdom between November 2021 to February 2022. Nature of science refers to different aspects of how science works such as aims, values, methods and social institutions of science. Considering the news media may mediate public information and perception of scientific stories, it is relevant to ask how the various British newspapers covered aspects of science during the pandemic. In the period explored, Omicron variant was initially a variant of concern, and an increasing number of scientific evidence showed that the less severity of this variant might move the country from pandemic to endemic. We explored how news articles communicate public health information by addressing how science works during the period when Omicron variants surge. A novel discourse analysis approach, epistemic network analysis is used to characterise the frequency of connections of categories of the nature of science. The connection between political factors and the professional activities of scientists, as well as that with scientific practices are more apparent in left-populated and centralist outlets than in right-populated news outlets. Among four news outlets across the political spectrum, a left-populated newspaper, the Guardian, is not consistent in representing relations of different aspects of the nature of scientific works across different stages of the public health crisis. Inconsistency of addressing aspects of scientific works and a downplay of the cognitive-epistemic nature of scientific works likely lead to failure in trust and consumption of scientific knowledge by the public in the healthcare crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kason Ka Ching Cheung
- Department of Education, University of Oxford, 15 Norham Gardens, Oxford, OX2 6PY UK
| | - Ho-Yin Chan
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY UK
| | - Sibel Erduran
- Department of Education, University of Oxford, 15 Norham Gardens, Oxford, OX2 6PY UK
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Han J, Lee EJ. Polarization or Mainstreaming? How COVID-19 News Exposure Affects Perceived Seriousness of the Pandemic and the Susceptibility to COVID-19 Misinformation? SCIENCE COMMUNICATION 2023; 45:367-401. [PMID: 37521770 PMCID: PMC10372506 DOI: 10.1177/10755470231186396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Two surveys investigated whether the exposure to COVID-19 news widens (polarization) or narrows (mainstreaming) the partisan gap in perceived seriousness of the pandemic, and how the perception affects individuals' susceptibility to COVID-19 misinformation that either exaggerates or downplays its health risks. Overall exposure to COVID-19 news homogenized the partisans' otherwise divergent risk perceptions, but the partisan divide was wider among those selectively approaching like-minded news outlets. Perceived seriousness of COVID-19 subsequently altered participants' susceptibility to either fear-arousing or fear-suppressing COVID-19 misinformation in a belief-confirming manner. It is discussed how news media shape the public's reality perception amid the global crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyoung Han
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Deajeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Ju Lee
- Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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5
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Goidel K, Callaghan T, Washburn DJ, Nuzhath T, Scobee J, Spiegelman A, Motta M. Physician Trust in the News Media and Attitudes toward COVID-19. JOURNAL OF HEALTH POLITICS, POLICY AND LAW 2023; 48:317-350. [PMID: 36441631 DOI: 10.1215/03616878-10358696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Previous research has established the importance of primary care physicians in communicating public health directives. The implicit assumption is that, because of their expertise, doctors provide accurate and up-to-date information to their patients independent of partisan affiliation or media trust. METHODS The authors conducted an online survey of 625 primary care physicians and used the results to test (1) whether physician trust in media outlets is consistent with their political partisanship, and (2) whether trust in media outlets influences (a) personal concern that someone in their family will get sick, (b) perceptions about the seriousness of the pandemic as portrayed in the media, and (c) trust in federal government agencies and scientists. FINDINGS Physicians are better positioned to critically evaluate health-related news, but they are subject to the same biases that influence public opinion. Physicians' partisan commitments influence media trust, and media trust influences concern that a family member will get sick, perceptions regarding the seriousness of the pandemic, and trust in federal government agencies and scientists. CONCLUSIONS Physician trust in specific media outlets shapes their understanding of the pandemic, and-to the extent that they trust conservative media outlets-it may limit their effectiveness as health policy messengers.
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Taba M, Ayre J, Freeman B, McCaffery K, Bonner C. COVID-19 messages targeting young people on social media: content analysis of Australian health authority posts. Health Promot Int 2023; 38:7143327. [PMID: 37099680 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daad034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Health authorities utilized social media during the COVID-19 pandemic to disseminate critical and timely health messages, specifically targeting priority groups such as young people. To understand how social media was used for this purpose, we investigated the content of COVID-19-related social media posts targeting young people (16-29 years old) shared by Australian health departments. Posts targeting young people with COVID-19 information were extracted from all eight Australian State and Territory health department Facebook, Instagram and TikTok accounts over 1 month of the Delta outbreak (September 2021) and analysed thematically. In total, 238 posts targeting young people were identified from 1059 COVID-19 posts extracted. All eight health departments used Facebook, five used Instagram and only one used TikTok. The majority of posts implicitly targeted young people; only 14.7% explicitly mentioned age or 'young people'. All posts included accompanying visuals; 77% were still images like photos or illustrations whilst 23% were moving images like videos and GIFs. Communication techniques included calls to action (63% of posts), responsive communication (32% of posts) and positive emotional appeal (31% of posts). Social marketing techniques catering to young people were used to varying extents despite receiving higher levels of engagement; 45% featured emojis whilst only 16% used humour, 14% featured celebrities and 6% were memes. Priority groups like ethnic/cultural groups and chronic health/disability communities were rarely targeted in this communication. The findings indicate a lack of health communication on social media directed towards young people, highlighting an opportunity for increased use of platforms like TikTok and trends popular with young people online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melody Taba
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy & Economics, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Julie Ayre
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Becky Freeman
- Prevention Research Collaboration, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kirsten McCaffery
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Carissa Bonner
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy & Economics, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Evola CM, Repas SJ, Dickman J, George M, Viaud-Murat E, Hershberger P, Crawford TN, Conway K. Perceptions of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic: a small comparative survey analysis between language preference populations in a United States community health center. Pathog Glob Health 2023; 117:203-211. [PMID: 35712873 PMCID: PMC9970218 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2022.2088500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2019, a new variant of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) created a global pandemic that has highlighted and exacerbated health disparities. Educating the general public about COVID-19 is one of the primary mitigation strategies amongst health professionals. English is not the preferred language for an estimated 22% of the United States population making effective mass communication efforts difficult to achieve. This study seeks to understand and compare several topics surrounding COVID-19 health communication and healthcare disparities between individuals with English language preference (ELP) and non-English language preference (NELP) within the United States. A survey available in seven languages asking about knowledge and opinions on COVID-19, vaccines, preferred sources of health information, and other questions, was administered February-April 2021 to patients at an urban federally qualified health center that also serves global refugees and immigrants. Descriptive statistics and comparative analysis were performed to identify differences between ELP and NELP individuals. Analysis of 144 surveys, 33 of which were NELP, showed 90.97% of all patients agreed that COVID-19 was a serious disease and 66.67% would receive the COVID-19 vaccine. There were numerous differences between ELP and NELP individuals, including trust in government, symptom identification, preferred source of health information, and feelings that cultural needs had been met. This study has identified several significant differences in patient perceptions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic when comparing NELP to ELP and highlighted areas where improvement can occur. Applying this information, easily utilized targeted resources can be created to quickly intervene and address health disparities among patients seeking care at an urban community health center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Evola
- Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Steven J Repas
- Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Jacob Dickman
- Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Monica George
- Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Estelle Viaud-Murat
- Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Paul Hershberger
- Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Timothy N Crawford
- Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Katharine Conway
- Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, United States of America
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Sundiam TGD, Sy JCA, Berdida DJE, Talampas PYR, Suillan HAA, Sumangil EAV, Sunga AME, Sy Juco SNT, Talastas KC. Adherence to COVID-19 health protocols in an online news context in the Philippines: A manifest content analysis. Public Health Nurs 2023; 40:382-393. [PMID: 36805622 DOI: 10.1111/phn.13179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Globally, adherence to COVID-19 health and safety protocols played a crucial role in preventing the spread of the virus. Thus, this study analyzed online news articles reporting adherence to COVID-19 health and safety protocols in the Philippines. DESIGN Manifest content analysis. SAMPLE News articles (n = 192) from three major online news portals in the Philippines. MEASUREMENT Published online news articles were collected during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 to March 2021). Bengtsson's content analysis approach was used to analyze the data. Member-checking and intercoder reliability validated the study's results. RESULTS Three main themes emerged: (a) adherence, (b) non-adherence, and (c) partial adherence. The subthemes were labeled who, what, when, where, and why. The same behavior, social distancing, was the most adhered to and non-adhered COVID-19 health protocol. This protocol has the highest occurrences in political protest, religious-related activities, and self-initiated quarantine. Leisure activities both showed non-adherence and partial adherence. CONCLUSIONS Online news articles depicted Filipinos' adherence to health and safety protocols. Their adherence was primarily determined by one's group or community, social norms, and values. The government and its public health agencies should strengthen current efforts and continuously re-evaluate existing policies to modify ineffective and confusing safety health protocols.
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Yesilaydin G, Donar GB. Evaluation of Individuals’ Perception of Health News in the Period of COVID-19 Pandemic. JOURNAL OF HEALTH MANAGEMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/09720634221128096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of individuals related to health news published in COVID-19 pandemic period in Turkey. It was also aimed to determine the factors that may affect this perception. The research population consisted of individuals in the 18–74 age range living in Turkey. Google survey method was used to collect data. A total of 1,073 people were reached from Turkey’s seven regions. ‘Health News Perception Scale’ developed by Cinar et al. (2018) was used to evaluate the perception of individuals about health news. Gender, generations, education level, marital status, the region where the city is located, number of children, time spent and trust in health news on internet, having chronic diseases, COVID-19 positive diagnosis of relatives, working status and frequency of following the health news during pandemic were variables that make a statistically significant difference in individuals’ perception of health news. As a result, it is thought that health news can make a significant difference on the health behaviour of individuals. It is important to pay attention to the quality of the news in this period, where the number of news reports on health and the interest of individuals in health news has increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gozde Yesilaydin
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Health Care Management, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Gamze Bayin Donar
- Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Health Care Management, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
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10
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Leidecker-Sandmann M, Attar P, Schütz A, Lehmkuhl M. Selected by expertise? Scientific experts in German news coverage of COVID-19 compared to other pandemics. PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE (BRISTOL, ENGLAND) 2022; 31:847-866. [PMID: 35723453 DOI: 10.1177/09636625221095740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
At the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific expertise was and is more in demand than perhaps ever before. Scientific "experts" serve as an important source of information for journalists and for society. Our study analyzes, which experts get a chance to speak in German news coverage of COVID-19 compared to other pandemics, how diverse the spectrum of selected experts is and how their scientific expertise is to be assessed. Our findings show that the COVID-19 coverage is dominated by actors from the political executive and less than in previous pandemics by scientific experts. In addition, the coronavirus debate is characterized by a greater diversity of expert voices and the journalistic selection of scientific experts is biased in favor of those who have a high scientific expertise. On average, COVID-19 coverage seems to be biased more pronouncedly in favor of reputable scientific experts compared to previous debates on pandemics.
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Yuan Y, Liu K, Wang Y. Reviewing topics of COVID-19 news articles: case study of CNN and China daily. ASLIB J INFORM MANAG 2022. [DOI: 10.1108/ajim-05-2022-0264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze the topics of COVID-19 news articles for better obtaining the relationship among and the evolution of news topics, helping to manage the infodemic from a quantified perspective.Design/methodology/approachTo analyze COVID-19 news articles explicitly, this paper proposes a prism architecture. Based on epidemic-related news on China Daily and CNN, this paper identifies the topics of the two news agencies, elucidates the relationship between and amongst these topics, tracks topic changes as the epidemic progresses and presents the results visually and compellingly.FindingsThe analysis results show that CNN has a more concentrated distribution of topics than China Daily, with the former focusing on government-related information, and the latter on medical. Besides, the pandemic has had a big impact on CNN and China Daily's reporting preference. The evolution analysis of news topics indicates that the dynamic changes of topics have a strong relationship with the pandemic process.Originality/valueThis paper offers novel perspectives to review the topics of COVID-19 news articles and provide new understandings of news articles during the initial outbreak. The analysis results expand the scope of infodemic-related studies.
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Álvarez-Carmona MA, Aranda R, Rodríguez-González AY, Pellegrin L, Carlos H. Classifying the Mexican epidemiological semaphore colour from the Covid-19 text Spanish news. J Inf Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/01655515221100952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
This work aims to generate classification models that help determine the colour of an epidemiological semaphore (ES) by analysing online news and being better prepared for the different changes in the evolution of the pandemic. To accomplish this, we introduce Cov-NES-Mex corpus, a collection of 77,983 news (labelled with the Mexican ES system) related to Covid-19 for the 32 regions of Mexico. Also, we showed measures that describe the corpus as imbalanced and with a high vocabulary overlap between classes. In addition, evaluation measurements of the pandemic by region are proposed. Furthermore, a classification model, based on a transformer architecture specialised for the Spanish language, achieved up to 0.83 of F-measure. Thus, this work provides evidence that there is essential information in the news that can be used to determine the colour of the ES up to 4 weeks in advance. Finally, the presented results could be applied to other Spanish-speaking countries, which do not have an ES system, thus inferring and comparing their situation concerning the Mexican ES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Álvarez-Carmona
- Cátedras Conacyt - Centro de Investigacion Cientifica y de Educacion Superior de Ensenada, Mexico
| | - Ramón Aranda
- Cátedras Conacyt - Centro de Investigacion Cientifica y de Educacion Superior de Ensenada, Mexico
| | | | | | - Hugo Carlos
- Cátedras Conacyt - Centro de Investigacion en Ciencias de Información Geoespacial, Mexico
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13
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Rivest-Beauregard M, Fortin J, Guo C, Cipolletta S, Sapkota RP, Lonergan M, Brunet A. Media Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Study. J Med Internet Res 2022; 24:e33011. [PMID: 3553703 PMCID: PMC9177167 DOI: 10.2196/33011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Throughout the pandemic, the general population was encouraged to use media to be kept informed about sanitary measures while staying connected with others to obtain social support. However, due to mixed findings in the literature, it is not clear whether media use in such a context would be pathogenic or salutogenic. OBJECTIVE Therefore, the associations between COVID-19-related stressors and frequency of media use for information-seeking on trauma- and stressor-related (TSR) symptoms were examined while also investigating how social media use for support-seeking and peritraumatic distress interact with those variables. METHODS A path model was tested in a sample of 5913 adults who completed an online survey. RESULTS The number of COVID-19-related stressors (β=.25; P<.001) and extent of information-seeking through media (β=.24; P=.006) were significantly associated with the severity of TSR symptoms in bivariate comparisons. Associations between levels of peritraumatic distress and both COVID-19-related stressors and information-seeking through media, and social media use for support- and information-seeking through media were found (βCOVID-19 stressors: Peritraumatic Distress Inventory=.49, P<.001; βseeking information: Peritraumatic Distress Inventory=.70, P<.001; βseeking information-seeking support=.04, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that exposure to COVID-19-related stressors and seeking COVID-19-related information through the media are associated with higher levels of peritraumatic distress that, in turn, lead to higher levels of TSR symptoms. Although exposure to the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic may be unavoidable, the frequency of COVID-19-related information consumption through various media should be approached with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolaine Rivest-Beauregard
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Division of Psychosocial Research, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Justine Fortin
- Division of Psychosocial Research, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Québec in Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Connie Guo
- Division of Psychosocial Research, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Ram P Sapkota
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Michelle Lonergan
- Division of Psychosocial Research, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada.,School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Alain Brunet
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Division of Psychosocial Research, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Laforet PE, Basch CH, Tang H. Understanding the content of COVID-19 vaccination and pregnancy videos on YouTube: An analysis of videos published at the start of the vaccine rollout. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2022; 18:2066935. [PMID: 35507867 PMCID: PMC9302522 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2022.2066935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Over 2 years into the COVID-19 pandemic, information on the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination, particularly for people in high-risk populations, has become a popular topic of discussion. The purpose of this study was to analyze the content and characteristics of YouTube videos related to COVID-19 vaccination and pregnancy. The 50 most viewed English language videos on pregnancy and COVID-19 vaccination were included in this study. The 50 YouTube videos were viewed 4,589,613 times, with 6% uploaded by consumers, 40% by medical professionals, and 44% by television or internet-based news. Videos from consumer sources more often mentioned a human trial of the COVID-19 vaccine (75% of consumer videos vs. 65% of medical professional videos and 31.8% of television or internet-based news videos, P = .036) and more often mentioned anti-vaccination sentiment, fear, or distrust of the vaccines (37.5% of consumer videos vs 5.0% of medical professional videos and 4.5% of television or internet-based news videos, P = .018). Videos uploaded by medical professionals more often mentioned emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccines (P = .016), passive immunity in general (P = .011), and that the COVID-19 vaccine is either unlikely to or will not cause harm in breastfeeding more often than did videos from consumer or television-based news sources (P = .034). New information regarding COVID-19 vaccination and pregnancy is continuing to emerge, and this study highlights that the information found in the most viewed YouTube videos on this topic can quickly become outdated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila E Laforet
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Corey H Basch
- Department of Public Health, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, USA
| | - Hao Tang
- Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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15
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Sumner RC, Kinsella EL. Solidarity appraisal, meaning, and markers of welfare in frontline workers in the UK and Ireland during the Covid-19 pandemic. SSM - MENTAL HEALTH 2022; 2:100099. [PMID: 35463800 PMCID: PMC9017115 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmmh.2022.100099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, frontline workers have carried out essential roles to keep society going, while the public have been called to minimise the infection rate to limit the burden on frontline workers. In this sense, navigating Covid-19 has necessitated interdependence between frontline workers and key stakeholder groups (such as their colleagues, organisations, their government, and the public). Reports suggest that frontline workers have perceived varying degrees of solidarity with others throughout the pandemic, yet the influence of perceived solidarity on psychological welfare has received limited empirical or theoretical attention. The aim of the present study was to test the importance of perceived solidarity (or solidarity appraisal) by assessing the relationship between perceptions of solidarity and psychological welfare in frontline workers — across all sectors — during Covid-19, and explore the role of a potential mechanism (i.e., meaning in life) for explaining this relationship. To assess this proposed model, we used cross-sectional and longitudinal data from a project tracking a cohort of frontline workers in the UK and Ireland since March 2020. Participants were surveyed at baseline (T1), at six months (T2), and 12 months (T3). At T3, participants (N = 414) reported their perceived solidarity (with colleagues, organisations, government, and public) along with a range of psychological welfare measures. Overall, frontline workers’ levels of meaning in life dropped significantly over time. Lower levels of perceived solidarity were predictive of poorer wellbeing, and higher anxiety, burnout, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and somatic stress symptoms, and these relationships were mediated by the presence of meaning in life. These findings suggest that perceived solidarity with interdependent social groups may imbue life with meaning, which can in turn have a positive influence on psychological welfare in chronic and cumulatively stressful occupational settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C Sumner
- Health & Human Performance Global Academy, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cyncoed Road, Cardiff, CF23 6XD, UK
| | - Elaine L Kinsella
- Department of Psychology, RISE Lab, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick, Ireland
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16
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Goh ZH, Tandoc EC, Salmon CT, Kim HK, Shi J. Can Press Freedom Enhance the Effect of News Exposure on COVID-19 Health Beliefs? A Health Belief Model Perspective. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2022:1-9. [PMID: 35387529 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2022.2056981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
News media can influence citizens' health beliefs about COVID-19 and eventually their vaccination intention. However, existing literature has rarely investigated how such effect is contingent upon a country-level factor: press freedom. Situated in the Health Belief Model, this study draws upon a multi-national survey (N = 3,599), involving 10 major cities in Asia to address the research gap. Results showed that news exposure has a positive effect on personal health beliefs on COVID-19, affecting their vaccination intention. More interestingly, the relationship between news exposure and personal health beliefs about COVID-19 was negatively moderated by level of press freedom - that is, the relationship between news exposure and personal health beliefs is stronger in cities that belong to countries with low levels of press freedom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhang Hao Goh
- Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Edson C Tandoc
- Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Charles Thomas Salmon
- Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Hye Kyung Kim
- Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Jingyuan Shi
- Department of Communication Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University
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17
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Yao L, Ngai CSB. Engaging social media users with attitudinal messages during health crisis communication. LINGUA. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF GENERAL LINGUISTICS. REVUE INTERNATIONALE DE LINGUISTIQUE GENERALE 2022; 268:103199. [PMID: 34720188 PMCID: PMC8548932 DOI: 10.1016/j.lingua.2021.103199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
To cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, various policy measures accompanied by health crisis communication were adopted in China to engage publics. In this study, we investigated how People's Daily communicated COVID-19 messages on Weibo. Drawing on the Appraisal Framework, we developed a three-stage mixed method approach to study 400 COVID-19 posts to identify the attitude resources employed and their association with public engagement. We found that attitudinal posts were more engaging than non-attitudinal posts. Judgment, both positive and negative, was positively associated with public engagement, whereas the use of positive Affect and Appreciation could be ineffective. These findings contribute to the understanding of how public engagement on social media can be enhanced through the use of attitudinal messages in health emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Yao
- Faculty of Humanities, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Cindy Sing Bik Ngai
- Department of Chinese & Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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18
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Abstract
A number of the people who have recovered from the acute effects of COVID-19 are facing long term sequelae from the infection. As the COVID-19 pandemic is still evolving, so is knowledge of the long-term effects of the virus on patients who still experience symptoms. Clearly, news media play a crucial role in distributing information and this distribution of information can, in turn, influence the actions of the public. The purpose of this study was to describe the content of news coverage of COVID-19 long haul symptoms currently posted on the internet. This study utilized Google News, a news aggregator service, and included the first 100 English language pieces of news. Video content and news article content were coded in depth for information on COVID-19 long haul symptoms. A total of 41% of news reports mentioned the length of time that the COVID-19 related symptoms persist. The length of time was reported to range from 1 month to more than 1 year. The symptom most commonly mentioned was tiredness or fatigue (74%), followed by difficulty breathing or shortness of breath (62 cases; 62%), and difficulty thinking or concentrating (50 cases; 50%). Other symptoms were mentioned less frequently. There were no statistically significant differences in any of the content including having video, written news reports, or both video and written news reports by source of the news reports based on consumer, professional, or television or internet-based news (p = .14). More complete coverage by online news media of the long-term effects of COVID-19 enhances public awareness of the post-acute syndromes, augments health providers’ awareness of the range of chronic COVID-19 effects and the possibility of a second infection, increases the probability of patients’ seeking and obtaining the proper care for their symptoms, and contributes to preventive actions for enhancing public health.
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19
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Fahy Y, Dineen B, McDonald C, Hallahan B. The impact of COVID-19 on a cohort of patients treated with clozapine. Ir J Psychol Med 2021; 38:249-257. [PMID: 33818330 PMCID: PMC8185411 DOI: 10.1017/ipm.2021.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine the psychological and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions on a cohort of patients with severe and enduring mental illness treated with clozapine. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 63 individuals attending a clozapine clinic within the Galway-Roscommon Mental Health Services to determine the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on anxiety and depressive symptoms, social and occupational functioning and quality of life, by utilising Likert scale data. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) were additionally utilised to measure anxiety symptoms cross-sectionally. RESULTS Anxiety symptoms were low with a median BAI score of 4.0 and HAM-A score of 4.0. Likert scale measurements recorded only a modest adverse impact of COVID-19 restrictions on anxiety and depressive symptoms, quality of life and occupational and social functioning. Free-text comments from patients (n = 55), were grouped into five themes: neutral impact (n = 22), negative psychological impact (n = 13), negative social impact (n = 11), positive psychological impact (n = 5) and media coverage inducing anxiety (n = 4). CONCLUSIONS Three months into the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions, the impact on individuals with treatment-resistant psychotic disorders attending a clozapine clinic has been modest, with preliminary evidence demonstrating minimal increases in subjective symptoms of anxiety and reduced social functioning. Reduced social engagements and supports attainable both within the community and from mental health services were noted by some participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y. Fahy
- Department of Medicine, Galway University Hospital, Galway, Ireland
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - B. Dineen
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - C. McDonald
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Galway–Roscommon Mental Health Services, University Hospital Galway, Ireland
| | - B. Hallahan
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Galway–Roscommon Mental Health Services, University Hospital Galway, Ireland
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20
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Sarker MR, Moktadir MA, Santibanez-Gonzalez EDR. Social Sustainability Challenges Towards Flexible Supply Chain Management: Post-COVID-19 Perspective. GLOBAL JOURNAL OF FLEXIBLE SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT 2021. [PMCID: PMC8563359 DOI: 10.1007/s40171-021-00289-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the global social sustainability of the supply chains, pushing them towards a more flexible management approach. However, there is a paucity of literature that focuses on social sustainability issues for emerging economies. In the post-COVID-19 period, firms around the world will face several critical challenges to social sustainability, which will hinder achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). Against this backdrop, this study identifies the pressing challenges to social sustainability in the post-COVID-19 context by a literature review and opinions from an expert panel, focusing on the footwear supply chain. In this paper, the best–worst method is applied to compute the criticality of social sustainability challenges towards the flexibility of the supply chains. The study findings reveal that among the nine identified critical challenges, “high level of lay off”, “health protocol development”, “complexity in ensuring workplace safety”, “facing trouble in mental health”, and “lack of government enforcement and regulations for social issues” are reported as the top five challenges, respectively. Furthermore, this study suggests several flexible managerial guidelines, which will help practitioners and policymakers to achieve SDGs considering the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Rayhan Sarker
- Institute of Leather Engineering and Technology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1209 Bangladesh
| | - Md. Abdul Moktadir
- Institute of Leather Engineering and Technology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1209 Bangladesh
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21
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Giri SP, Maurya AK. A neglected reality of mass media during COVID-19: Effect of pandemic news on individual's positive and negative emotion and psychological resilience. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2021; 180:110962. [PMID: 34629579 PMCID: PMC8487296 DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.110962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies have demonstrated that mass media platforms are playing a crucial role in disseminating information about the COVID-19 pandemic. As media coverage of pandemic using frightening language has been speculated to induce emotional disturbances in people and fluctuations in their resilience level, this study was performed to explore the effect of COVID-19 related news on individual's emotions and resilience. It was hypothesized that altering the type of news would produce varying levels of emotions and resilience in participants. Both the recruitment of participants and the conduction of the study were done online in September when the pandemic hit the peak in India. Randomly assigned participants were exposed to three conditions: positive news (N = 56), negative news (N = 59), and neutral news (N = 60) related to COVID-19. Analyses revealed negative news significantly decreased positive emotions and resilience while positive news significantly reduced negative emotions and vice-versa. These finding suggest strong impact of mass media on individual's emotions and their own self-evaluation on resilience. The study highlights the responsibility of mass media and urges for bringing necessary changes in covering pandemic news and similar other uncertain situations in keeping people's emotions stable and increasing their psychological resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakshi Priya Giri
- Department of Psychology, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
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22
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Kleitman S, Fullerton DJ, Zhang LM, Blanchard MD, Lee J, Stankov L, Thompson V. To comply or not comply? A latent profile analysis of behaviours and attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255268. [PMID: 34324567 PMCID: PMC8321369 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
How and why do people comply with protective behaviours during COVID-19? The emerging literature employs a variable-centered approach, typically using a narrow selection of constructs within a study. This study is the first to adopt a person-centred approach to identify complex patterns of compliance, and holistically examine underlying psychological differences, integrating multiple psychology paradigms and epidemiology. 1575 participants from Australia, US, UK, and Canada indicated their behaviours, attitudes, personality, cognitive/decision-making ability, resilience, adaptability, coping, political and cultural factors, and information consumption during the pandemic's first wave. Using Latent Profile Analysis, two broad groups were identified. The compliant group (90%) reported greater worries, and perceived protective measures as effective, whilst the non-compliant group (about 10%) perceived them as problematic. The non-compliant group were lower on agreeableness and cultural tightness-looseness, but more extraverted, and reactant. They utilised more maladaptive coping strategies, checked/trusted the news less, and used official sources less. Females showed greater compliance than males. By promoting greater appreciation of the complexity of behaviour during COVID-19, this research provides a critical platform to inform future studies, public health policy, and targeted behaviour change interventions during pandemics. The results also challenge age-related stereotypes and assumptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabina Kleitman
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Lisa M. Zhang
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Jihyun Lee
- School of Education, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Lazar Stankov
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Valerie Thompson
- Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
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23
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Meda-Lara RM, Juárez-Rodríguez P, Carrasco-Tapias NE, Barrales-Díaz CR, Palomera-Chávez A, González-Díaz E, Llantá-Abreu MDC, Lorenzana-Montenegro L, Herrero M, Moreno-Jiménez B. Precautionary Behaviors during the Second and Third Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparative Study in the Latin American Population. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:6882. [PMID: 34206907 PMCID: PMC8297200 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18136882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The population's behavioral responses to containment and precautionary measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have played a fundamental role in controlling the contagion. A comparative analysis of precautionary behaviors in the region was carried out. A total of 1184 people from Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Cuba, and Guatemala participated through an online survey containing a questionnaire on sociodemographic factors, precautionary behaviors, information about COVID-19, concerns, maintenance of confinement, and medical symptoms associated with COVID-19. Cubans reported the highest scores for information about COVID-19. Colombians reported less frequent usage of precautionary measures (e.g., use of masks), but greater adherence to confinement recommendations in general, in contrast to the low levels of these behaviors in Guatemalans. Chileans reported greater pandemic-related concerns and the highest number of medical symptoms associated with COVID-19. These findings allow a partial characterization of the Latin American population's responses during the second and third phases of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the importance of designing and managing public health policies according to the circumstances of each population when facing pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Martha Meda-Lara
- Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Departamento de Psicología Básica, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico; (R.M.M.-L.); (A.P.-C.)
| | - Pedro Juárez-Rodríguez
- Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
| | | | | | - Andrés Palomera-Chávez
- Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Departamento de Psicología Básica, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico; (R.M.M.-L.); (A.P.-C.)
| | - Esteban González-Díaz
- Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Patología Infecciosa y Experimental, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico;
| | - María del Carmen Llantá-Abreu
- Instituto Nacional de Psicooncología y Radiobiología, Sección Psicooncología y Trabajo Social, La Habana 10400, Cuba;
| | | | - Marta Herrero
- Departamento de Psicología Social y del Desarrollo, Universidad de Deusto, 48007 Bilbao, Spain;
| | - Bernardo Moreno-Jiménez
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
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24
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Sumner RC, Kinsella EL. "It's Like a Kick in the Teeth": The Emergence of Novel Predictors of Burnout in Frontline Workers During Covid-19. Front Psychol 2021; 12:645504. [PMID: 34113288 PMCID: PMC8185026 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.645504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The context of Covid-19 has offered an unusual cultural landscape for examining how workers view their own position relative to others, and how individuals respond to prolonged exposure to workplace stress across different sectors and cultures. Through our recent work tracking the well-being of frontline workers in the UK and Ireland (the CV19 Heroes project), we have uncovered additional psychological factors that have not been accounted for in previous models of occupational stress or burnout. In recent months, frontline workers have worked to protect the community from the threat of SARS-CoV-2 and, simultaneously, have evaluated their perceptions of collective efforts of others as either congruent or incongruent with collective goals (e.g., lowered mortality and morbidity): we call this novel aspect solidarity appraisal. These frontline workers have been hailed as heroes, which we argue has led to the creation of an implicit psychological contract (the hero contract) between frontline workers and the public. Here, the heroes are willing to "go above and beyond" for the greater good, with the expectation that we (the public) do our part by adhering to public health guidelines. Where frontline workers perceive incongruence between the words and actions of others in working toward collective goals this drives negative affect and subsequent burnout. In this perspective article, we evaluate the cultural context of the pandemic in the UK and Ireland and suggest important socio-cultural factors that contribute to perceptions of solidarity, and how this may relate to burnout and worker welfare during and beyond the pandemic context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C. Sumner
- Health, Environmental Responsibility & Action (HERA) Lab, School of Natural & Social Sciences, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, United Kingdom
| | - Elaine L. Kinsella
- Research on Influence, Social Networks, & Ethics (RISE) Lab, Department of Psychology, Centre for Social Issues Research, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
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25
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Zou C, Zhang W, Sznajder K, Yang F, Jia Y, Ma R, Cui C, Yang X. Factors Influencing Anxiety Among WeChat Users During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mainland China: Cross-sectional Survey Study. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e24412. [PMID: 33878025 PMCID: PMC8130820 DOI: 10.2196/24412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The rapid outbreak of COVID-19 around the world has adversely affected the mental health of the public. The prevalence of anxiety among the public has increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are few studies evaluating the effects of positive psychological responses and information-seeking behaviors on anxiety experienced among social media users during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the prevalence of anxiety and its associated factors among WeChat users in mainland China during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS From February 10 to February 24, 2020, a nationwide, web-based cross-sectional survey study was carried out using convenience sampling. Participants' levels of anxiety, positive psychological responses, and information-seeking behaviors were assessed. The survey was distributed among WeChat users via the WeChat smartphone platform. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the factors associated with anxiety. RESULTS This study found that the prevalence of anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item [GAD-7] scale score ≥7) among WeChat users in China was 17.96% (446/2483) during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results of multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that information-seeking behaviors such as cannot stop searching for information on COVID-19, being concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, and spending more than 1 hour per day consuming information about the pandemic were found to be associated with increased levels of anxiety. Additionally, participants who chose social media and commercial media as the primary sources to obtain information about the COVID-19 pandemic were found more likely to report anxiety. Conversely, participants who were confident or rational about the COVID-19 pandemic were less likely to report anxiety. CONCLUSIONS This study found that positive psychological responses and information-seeking behaviors were closely associated with anxiety among WeChat users during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. It might be paramount to enhance mental well-being by helping people respond to the COVID-19 pandemic more rationally and positively in order to decrease symptoms of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changqing Zou
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Weiyu Zhang
- Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Kristin Sznajder
- Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Fengzhi Yang
- Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yajing Jia
- Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Ruqing Ma
- Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Can Cui
- Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaoshi Yang
- Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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26
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Mousavi SH, Delshad MH, Acuti Martellucci C, Bhandari D, Ozaki A, Pourhaji F, Pourhaji F, Reza Hosseini SM, Roien R, Ramozi AA, Wafaee M, Qaderi S, Delsoz M, Sigdel S, Kotera Y, Sawano T, Dhama K, Rodríguez-Morales AJ, Wang J, Tanimoto T, Yousefi AA, Sah R. Community Behavioral and Perceived Responses in the COVID-19 Outbreak in Afghanistan: A Cross-Sectional Study. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2021; 16:1-7. [PMID: 33947492 PMCID: PMC8185426 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2021.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Community responses are important for the management of early-phase outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Perceived susceptibility and severity are considered key elements that motivate people to adopt nonpharmaceutical interventions. This study aimed to (i) explore perceived susceptibility and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, (ii) examine the practice of nonpharmaceutical interventions, and (iii) assess the potential association of perceived COVID-19 susceptibility and severity with the practice of nonpharmaceutical interventions among people living in Afghanistan. METHODS A cross-sectional design was used, using online surveys disseminated from April to May 2020. Convenience sampling was used to recruit the participants of this study. The previously developed scales were used to assess the participants' demographic information, perceived risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and perceived severity of COVID-19. Multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the potential association of perceived COVID-19 susceptibility and severity with the practice of nonpharmaceutical interventions. RESULTS The Internet was the main source for obtaining COVID-19 information among participants in this study. While 45.8% of the participants believed it was "very unlikely" for them to get infected with COVID-19, 76.7% perceived COVID-19 as a severe disease. Similarly, 37.5% believed the chance of being cured if infected with COVID-19 is "unlikely/very unlikely." The majority of participants (95.6%) perceived their health to be in "good" and "very good" status. Overall, 74.2% mentioned that they stopped visiting public places, 49.7% started using gloves, and 70.4% started wearing a mask. Participants who believed they have a low probability of survival if infected with COVID-19 were more likely to wear masks and practice hand washing. CONCLUSIONS It appears that communities' psychological and behavioral responses were affected by the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan, especially among young Internet users. The findings gained from a timely behavioral assessment of the community might be useful to develop interventions and risk communication strategies in epidemics within and beyond COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayed Hamid Mousavi
- Medical Research Center, Kateb University, Kabul, Afghanistan
- Afghanistan National Charity Organization for Special Diseases (ANCOSD), Kabul, Afghanistan
| | - Mohammad Hossein Delshad
- Public Health Department, School of Health, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
- Health Sciences Research Center, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
| | | | | | - Akihiko Ozaki
- Medical Governance Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Breast Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Fatemeh Pourhaji
- Public Health Department, School of Health, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
- Health Sciences Research Center, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
| | - Fahimeh Pourhaji
- Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | | | - Rohullah Roien
- Medical Research Center, Kateb University, Kabul, Afghanistan
| | | | - Marzia Wafaee
- Faculty of Chemistry, Kabul University, Kabul, Afghanistan
| | - Shohra Qaderi
- Medical Research Center, Kateb University, Kabul, Afghanistan
- School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Delsoz
- Medical Research Center, Kateb University, Kabul, Afghanistan
- NOOR Eye-care Training Center of International Assistance Missions, Kabul, Afghanistan
| | - Shailendra Sigdel
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesiology, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Tribhuvan University Institute of Medicine, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Yasuhiro Kotera
- Human Sciences Research Centre, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom
| | - Toyoaki Sawano
- Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Kuldeep Dhama
- Division of Pathology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | - Alfonso J. Rodríguez-Morales
- Grupo de Investigación Biomedicina, Faculty of Medicine, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas, Pereira, Colombia
| | - Jiwei Wang
- School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | - Ranjit Sah
- Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu, Nepal
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Mitchell BG. COVID-19 and Infection Disease and Health. Infect Dis Health 2021; 26:233-234. [PMID: 33931364 PMCID: PMC8055162 DOI: 10.1016/j.idh.2021.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brett G Mitchell
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW, 2258, Australia.
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28
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Park E, Kollia B. Information regarding acute stroke associated with COVID-19 in online news. J Prev Interv Community 2021; 49:127-135. [PMID: 33831333 DOI: 10.1080/10852352.2021.1908211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Patients with COVID-19 may present with neurological manifestations, lack of oxygenation, or clotting disorders such as ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes. This has been observed in even young patients with mild symptoms. The aim of this study was to explore current online news coverage of acute stroke associated with COVID-19 in the four-month period from April 2020 to July 2020, a time during which the US found itself in the center of the pandemic. The relevant Google News stories were reviewed for content. The analysis indicated that 118 online news reports covered the topic to varying degrees, including data from reputable sources, references to the neurological symptoms, and to the incidence of stroke in young patients. It is important that health professionals be aware of this risk and convey to the public the possibility of stroke due to COVID-19 so as to increase the probability of early diagnosis and optimal outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunsun Park
- Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences, William Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey, USA
| | - Betty Kollia
- Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences, William Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey, USA
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Basch CH, Fera J, Pierce I, Basch CE. Promoting Mask Use on TikTok: Descriptive, Cross-sectional Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2021; 7:e26392. [PMID: 33523823 PMCID: PMC7886372 DOI: 10.2196/26392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over the past decade, there has been an increasing secular trend in the number of studies on social media and health. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the content and characteristics of TikTok videos that are related to an important aspect of community mitigation-the use of masks as a method for interrupting the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. METHODS In total, 100 trending videos with the hashtag #WearAMask (ie, a campaign on TikTok), along with 32 videos that were posted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and involved masks in any way (ie, all related WHO videos at the time of this study), were included in our sample. We collected the metadata of each post, and created content categories based on fact sheets that were provided by the WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We used these fact sheets to code the characteristics of mask use. RESULTS Videos that were posted on TikTok and had the hashtag #WearAMask garnered almost 500 million views, and videos that were posted by the WHO garnered almost 57 million views. Although the ratio of the number of trending #WearAMask videos to the number of WHO videos was around 3:1, the #WearAMask videos received almost 10 times as many cumulative views as the WHO videos. In total, 68% (68/100) of the trending #WearAMask videos involved humor and garnered over 355 million cumulative views. However, only 9% (3/32) of the WHO videos involved humor. Furthermore, 27% (27/100) of the trending #WearAMask videos involved dance and garnered over 130 million cumulative views, whereas none of the WHO videos involved dance. CONCLUSIONS This study is one of the first to describe how TikTok is being used to mitigate the community spread of COVID-19 by promoting mask use. Due to the platform's incredible reach, TikTok has great potential in conveying important public health messages to various segments of the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey H Basch
- Department of Public Health, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, United States
| | - Joseph Fera
- Department of Mathematics, Lehman College, The City University of New York, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Isabela Pierce
- Department of Public Health, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, United States
| | - Charles E Basch
- Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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Caulfield T, Bubela T, Kimmelman J, Ravitsky V. Let’s do better: public representations of COVID-19 science. Facets (Ott) 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2021-0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID science is being both done and circulated at a furious pace. While it is inspiring to see the research community responding so vigorously to the pandemic crisis, all this activity has also created a churning sea of bad data, conflicting results, and exaggerated headlines. With representations of science becoming increasingly polarized, twisted, and hyped, there is growing concern that the relevant science is being represented to the public in a manner that may cause confusion, inappropriate expectations, and the erosion of public trust. Here we explore some of the key issues associated with the representations of science in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these issues are not new. But the COVID-19 pandemic has placed a spotlight on the biomedical research process and amplified the adverse ramifications of poor public communication. We need to do better. As such, we conclude with 10 recommendations aimed at key actors involved in the communication of COVID-19 science, including government, funders, universities, publishers, media, and the research communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Caulfield
- Health Law and Policy, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H5, Canada
| | - Tania Bubela
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | | | - Vardit Ravitsky
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
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Hamidein Z, Hatami J, Rezapour T. How People Emotionally Respond to the News on COVID-19: An Online Survey. Basic Clin Neurosci 2020; 11:171-178. [PMID: 32855776 PMCID: PMC7368107 DOI: 10.32598/bcn.11.covid19.809.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, news media has played an important role in informing people to satisfy their curiosity about this stressful condition. Regular exposure to such stressful news may elicit different emotions in people and engage them in using strategies to control their emotions. In the present study, we aimed at exploring the most common negative emotion(s) experienced by individuals, as well as the most frequent Emotion Regulation (ER) strategies used facing the COVID-19-related news. We also examined whether the variable of personal relevance can moderate these emotional responses. Methods: 617 individuals living in Tehran who regularly read the news about the COVID-19 from the early stages of spread completed an online survey. After excluding the participants with high scores from the Beck Depression Inventory (>18), data obtained from 443 participants were analyzed in terms of the experienced negative emotions and ER strategies. Results: Anxiety (55.8%) was the most common negative emotion reported by participants facing COVID-19-related news and problem-solving was the most frequent strategy used to control negative emotions. Both groups with high and low personal relevance indicated a similar pattern in experiencing high and low arousal emotions, as well as using ER strategies, and no significant differences were found (X2=0.006, p=0.51; X2=0.14, p=0.39, respectively). We also found that participants with high scores in the resilience scale used an integrative rather than a single approach of the ER strategies (rbp=0.15, p=0.01). Conclusion: We found that during the COVID-19 outbreak, news media may have important role in triggering anxiety in people who regularly read the relevant news, and problem-solving was the most frequent strategy among them. Being directly involved with COVID-19 in personal life did not make any differences in the way that individuals emotionally respond to the news. While using an integrative approach in regulating emotion was found in more resilient individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Hamidein
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Hatami
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tara Rezapour
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran
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