The information-seeking behavior and levels of knowledge, precaution, and fear of college students in Iloilo, Philippines amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 information-seeking behaviors and preventive behaviors among college students in Oklahoma

Objective: To explore experiences, beliefs, and information-seeking behavior around COVID-19 among college students in Oklahoma. Participants: Fifteen college students participated during the pandemic period from April to July 2020. Methods: An exploratory, qualitative research approach method was used to discover students' experiences, beliefs, and information-seeking behaviors around COVID-19. Exploration of beliefs was guided by the Health Belief Model. Results: Students engaged in COVID-19 information-seeking behaviors predominantly through Internet sites, broadcast news, health professionals, and governmental sources. Students experienced emotional burden as a result of COVID-19 misinformation in these sources. While most students perceived a low chance of acquiring the virus due to their lack of underlying medical conditions, they were still concerned about the consequences of becoming infected. Students noted the difficulty of physical distancing while on campus. Conclusions: Colleges/universities should maximize the dissemination of timely, valid health information for the safety of their students and the broader community.

Factors affecting the intention to use COVID-19 contact tracing application "StaySafe PH": Integrating protection motivation theory, UTAUT2, and system usability theory

PURPOSE

StaySafe PH is the Philippines' official contact tracing software for controlling the propagation of COVID-19 and promoting a uniform contact tracing strategy. The StaySafe PH has various features such as a social distancing system, LGU heat map and response system, real-time monitoring, graphs, infographics, and the primary purpose, which is a contact tracing system. This application is mandatory in establishments such as fast-food restaurants, banks, and malls.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODOLOGY

The purpose of this research was to determine the country's willingness to utilize StaySafe PH. Specifically, this study utilized 12 latent variables from the integrated Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2), and System Usability Scale (SUS). Data from 646 respondents in the Philippines were employed through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), Deep Learning Neural Network (DLNN), and SUS.

RESULTS

Utilizing the SEM, it is found that understanding the COVID-19 vaccine, understanding the COVID-19 Delta variant, perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, performance expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, behavioral intention, actual use, and the system usability scale are major determinants of intent to utilize the application. Understanding of the COVID-19 Delta Variant was found to be the most important factor by DLNN, which is congruent with the results of SEM. The SUS score of the application is "D", which implies that the application has poor usability.

IMPLICATIONS

It could be implicated that large concerns stem from the trust issues on privacy, data security, and overall consent in the information needed. This is one area that should be promoted. That is, how the data is stored and kept, utilized, and covered by the system, how the assurance could be provided among consumers, and how the government would manage the information obtained. Building the trust is crucial on the development and deployment of these types of technology. The results in this study can also suggest that individuals in the Philippines expected and were certain that vaccination would help them not contract the virus and thus not be vulnerable, leading to a positive actual use of the application.

NOVELTY

The current study considered encompassing health-related behaviors using the PMT, integrating with the technology acceptance model, UTAUT2; as well as usability perspective using the SUS. This study was the first one to evaluate and assess a contact tracing application in the Philippines, as well as integrate the frameworks to provide a holistic measurement.

The relationship between young college students' recognition of national COVID-19 crisis governance capabilities and the improvement of national identity: the mediating role of online participation in public health critical events

Background

Improving the young college students' national identity is crucial for ensuring social stability and fostering development during public health critical events such as COVID-19. Young college students' recognition of national COVID-19 crisis governance capabilities can influence their national identity, and online participation in public health criticalevents may serve as a crucial role in shaping this intricate relationship. To investigate this possibility, the present study established an intermediary model to examine the impact of online participation in public health critical events on young college students' recognition of national COVID-19 crisis governance capabilities and improvement of national identity.

Methods

This cross-sectional survey study employed a convenience sampling method to investigate a total of 3041 young college students in China. The correlations between study variables were analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation. The mediation model was established using PROCESS Model 4 with 5000 bootstrap samples in SPSS. The bias-corrected bootstrap method provided statistical efficacy and identification interval estimation.

Results

Young college students' recognition of national COVID-19 crisis governance capabilities (r=0.729, P<0.001) and online participation in public health critical events (r=0.609, P<0.001) were positively correlated with improvement of their national identity. The relationship between these two factors was partially mediated by online participation in public health critical events (Indirect effect estimate=0.196, P<0.001).

Conclusion

Online participation in public health critical events played a mediating role in the association between college students' recognition of national COVID-19 crisis governance capabilities and the improvement of national identity. Our findings provide a novel intervention strategy for improving college students' national identity, which is to encourage their online participation in public health critical events.

The effect of fear on health information searching behavior during the pandemic: The case of COVID-19

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Fear can cause people to panic, lead to erroneous decisions, and trigger inappropriate behavior. This study aims to investigate the effects of fear of COVID-19 on the perception of the reliability and the use of health information sources.

METHODS

This study is both a cross-sectional and explanatory study. The participants selected by convenience sampling method were 323 students attending a state university in Turkey. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and the Health Information Sources Survey were used as data collection tools. Descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients, and linear regression analyses were used.

RESULTS

The participants' mean FCV-19S score was 2.30 ± 0.93 on a five-point Likert scale. In the range of 0-10, the information source with the highest reliability perception mean score was the doctor (8.05 ± 2.54), whereas that with the highest usage was the Internet (7.98 ± 2.77). Although the fear of COVID-19 had a negative effect on Internet use (b = -0.38; p < 0.05), the effects on the use of other health information sources were positive (b = 0.37-0.83; p < 0.05). Trust in radio (b = 0.60; p < 0.05) and newspapers/magazines (b = 0.49; p < 0.05) also increased with fear.

CONCLUSIONS

These results showed that as university students' fear of COVID-19 increased, the use of the Internet for health information decreased; however, the use of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, other health workers, scientific articles, television, radio, and newspapers/journals increased. Nurses were the source of information whose use increased the most, along with increased fear. The findings can guide health policies to be followed. Not only doctor talks but also nurse talks and scientific videos should be increased on the Internet, social media, and other mass media.

Health information-seeking behavior of nursing students in Isfahan city about COVID-19 disease

BACKGROUND

The proper planning to help the health information-seeking behavior (HISB), as well as promoting its quantitative and qualitative level among nursing students increases educational efficiency and enables provide appropriate services to patients. The purpose of this study is to investigate the HISB of nursing students in the process of obtaining information about the emerging disease of COVID-19 in Isfahan city.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

The present cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted in Isfahan´ s faculties of nursing and educational hospitals. The research sample included 448 students who met the inclusion criteria, using convenience sampling. Lenz's HISB questionnaire was used to collect information. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences statistical software version 20, using descriptive and inferential statistics, with confidence interval = 95%.

RESULTS

The results indicate a statistically significant relationship between the age and marital status of students with the overall score of the HISB of nursing students (P < 0.05). Regarding the study, information was mostly obtained from "social media" (43.7%) although the participants more trusted in "health experts" (57.5%). The results of the present study indicated that the students often searched for "disease symptoms" (38.8%) and "epidemiological issues" (22.5%).

DISCUSSION

"Internet sites and search engines" and "social media" provide quick access to information for users, which is one of the reasons for favoring these sources. However, they can be a platform for disseminating false and invalid information. Thus, other reliable sources such as the Ministry of Health and Medical Education should play a greater role in creating content on social media.

Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic: Mortality impacts in Poland versus European Union

With COVID-19 moving toward an endemic phase, it is worthwhile to identify lessons from the pandemic that can promote the effective strengthening of national health systems. We look at a single country, Poland, and compare it with the European Union (EU) to contrast approaches and outcomes. Among possible relevant indices, we examine characteristics of COVID-19-related mortality and excess all-cause mortality from March 2020 to February 2022. We demonstrate that both the numbers of COVID-related deaths and all-cause deaths in Poland were much higher than the EU average for most months in the study period. We juxtapose the percentage of fully vaccinated population and cumulative COVID-19 deaths per million people for EU Member States and show that typically higher vaccination rates are accompanied by lower mortality. We also show that, in addition to medical science, the use of a risk science toolbox would have been valuable in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. Better and more widespread understanding of risk perception of the pandemic and the COVID-19 vaccines would have improved managing vaccine hesitancy, potentially leading to more effective pro-vaccination measures.

Examining Antecedents of Factual Knowledge and Perceived Familiarity of COVID-19 Contact Tracing App: A Modified Cognitive Mediation Model

This study employs a modified cognitive mediation model to investigate the role of health valuation and fear in shaping media attention, factual knowledge, and perceived familiarity with COVID-19 contact tracing apps. Data were collected from a national survey of 906 Singaporeans, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the results. Findings indicated that both fear of COVID-19 and health valuation were positively associated with newspapers, television, and social media attention, with health valuation demonstrating a stronger association with each media type. This suggests that health valuation, as an intrinsic motivation, is more critical in information-seeking behavior related to emerging health technologies. However, media attention on all platforms did not correlate with factual knowledge of COVID-19 contact tracing apps, whereas attention to social media was positively associated with perceived familiarity with these apps. This result highlights the potential influence of social media in shaping public perceptions, warranting further investigation into the quality and accuracy of the information disseminated. News elaboration was found to have a positive association with both factual knowledge and perceived familiarity with COVID-19 contact tracing apps. This underscores the need for effective communication strategies to promote accurate understanding of health technologies and emphasizes the role of individual motivations in shaping media consumption and information processing.

Community, risk assessment, prevention and control: Black American college students' information seeking on COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Despite the disproportionate impact of the novel coronavirus on Black Americans, there is little research that centres Black college students' information behaviours during the pandemic.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to identify information needs, resources and use regarding the novel coronavirus pandemic among Black American college students.

METHODS

This is a quantitative study among 389 college students in the USA. Data were collected using an online crowdsourced survey instrument. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data through SPSS.

RESULTS

The most salient information needs related to Covid-19 symptoms, personal protective equipment, vulnerable populations, and risk assessment; however, students also wanted information on Covid-19's impact on the Black community. There were no statistically significant gender differences in students' information seeking, resources or use with one exception; male students believed the internet alone could provide all relevant information about the coronavirus in comparison to female students. Barriers related to the volume of information, information fluidity and determining the quality of information.

CONCLUSION

Colleges and universities can play a critical role in information dissemination during crisis events. Students need critical information literacy skills that intersect with everyday information needs, particularly health literacy.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding COVID-19 and mental health status among college students in China: a cross-sectional study

Background

During the prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), little was known about the knowledge, attitudes, practices (KAP) about COVID-19 and psychological status of college students in minority areas. This study aimed to evaluate the KAP of college students in minority areas of China toward COVID-19 and to provide a scientific basis for health education and policy formulation.

Methods

From October 28th to November 6th, 2021, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 5,272 college students to examine KAP and its effects on mental health.

Results

Regarding COVID-19 knowledge, the overall awareness rate was 24.11% (1,271). Regarding health attitudes, most students had positive attitudes about COVID-19 prevention and control (94.95%), and females had higher positive attitudes than males (OR: 1.920; CI: 1.494-2.469). Regarding preventive behaviors, more than half of the students took preventive measures (53.48%), and freshmen had the highest health behavior scores. In terms of psychological status, there were fewer females with depression and stress than males.

Conclusion

College students in minority areas have positive health attitudes; however, their knowledge of COVID-19 prevention and control is low. Moreover, their precautionary behaviors are insufficient, and they have many negative emotions.

Student information use during the COVID-19 pandemic

Since early 2020, life for students has changed tremendously. It has been a time of stress, turmoil, and trauma for students. Researchers from a large Midwestern university wanted to determine how student information use has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper examines the results of a mixed-methods study undertaken in 2021 using surveys and follow-up focus groups to determine if and how student information use has changed. To answer this, we explored student use of news sources, social media sources, political affiliations, and information responses, coupled with to what extent these factors demonstrate or impact potential changes in information use. We also addressed changes in the frequency of use, as well as the types of resources consulted, pertaining to information use of traditional and social media sources.

Coronavirus disease 2019 information-seeking behavior globally: a systematic review

Objective

This systematic review aimed to provide a global picture of information-seeking behavior, source information used, and its associated factors.

Methods

This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses steps. Databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, World Health Organization libraries, and Google Scholar were used to search all published articles. Articles on COVID-19 information-seeking behavior published until November 04, 2021, and the use of the English language was included. Two independent reviewers did the article selection and quality check.

Results

For this systematic review, twenty articles were included in the final report. Information-seeking behavior was associated with digital health literacy, online information sources, and socio-demographic factors. The major sources of health information during the COVID-19 pandemic were digital media, television, public health portals like the world health organization, and center for communicable disease and prevention websites.

Conclusion

This systematic review provides a valuable overview of available information on information-seeking behavior regarding COVID-19 globally. The studies used a heterogeneous study population, various research techniques, and various research questions. Digital literacy and online information sources play a vital role in information-seeking behavior.

COVID-19 Information Seeking Behaviors of University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Undergraduates: Information Channels, Sources, and Consumption

This study explored how undergraduate students at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa sought and consumed information about the virus that causes COVID-19. This study also examined student perceptions of the severity of and their susceptibility to the virus and their main concerns about it. Four hundred fifty-six students completed online surveys between October and early December of 2020 and 2021. Students reported low to moderate levels of information seeking across four domains: (1) knowledge about COVID-19 and its symptoms; (2) preventing the spread of the virus; (3) the current state of the pandemic in Hawai'i; and (4) the likely future of the pandemic in Hawai'i. Overall, websites, television, and Instagram were the top 3 channels used by students to seek information for these domains. Students reported primarily paying attention to information from government and news organizations as sources. However, students' preferred channels and sources varied with the type of information they sought. Students also reported believing that COVID-19 is severe and that they are susceptible to being infected with it. The more time students reported seeking information, the greater their perceptions of COVID-19's severity across all domains. Students' primary concerns about COVID-19 centered on state regulations/policies, vaccines, tourism/travel, the economy, and pandemic/post-pandemic life. These findings can help public health practitioners in Hawai'i determine how best to reach an undergraduate student population with information related to COVID-19.

The Relationship between the Need for Closure and Coronavirus Fear: The Mediating Effect of Beliefs in Conspiracy Theories about COVID-19

This study investigated the relationship between fear of the coronavirus, belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories, and dimensions of the need for cognitive closure. As there is evidence of associations between these variables, we hypothesized that the relationship between the need for closure dimensions and coronavirus fear may be mediated by conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19. We analyzed the results from 380 individuals who completed online versions of three scales: the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, a short version of the Need for Closure Scale, and-designed for this study-the Conspiracy Theories about the Coronavirus Scale. The results showed that belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories fully mediated the relationship between the fear of the coronavirus and avoidance of ambiguity, as well as closed-mindedness. The findings provided evidence that beliefs in conspiracy theories may play a significant role in reducing the level of coronavirus fear in people with high levels of these traits. In addition, a partial mediation between the fear of the coronavirus and the need for predictability was found. The limitations and implications of the research are discussed.

Fear, depression, and well-being during COVID-19 in German and South African students: A cross-cultural comparison

Various studies have shown a decrease in well-being and an increase in mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, only a few studies have explored fear, depression, and well-being cross-culturally during this time. Accordingly, we present the results of a cross-cultural study that (1) compares these mental health scores for German and South African students, (2) compares the correlations among them, and (3) identifies COVID-19 fear, well-being, and depression predictors. German and South African societies differ from each other socio-culturally, politically, and economically. Their university systems also differ to a large extent. University students in both countries completed the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Welch's t-test, correlation, and multiple regression analyses were performed. (1) German students were found to have statistically lower levels of COVID-19 fear and depression, but lower levels of general well-being than South African students. (2) In both samples, fear of COVID-19 was negatively correlated with well-being and positively associated with female gender and depression. (3) Additionally, female gender, depression, and lower well-being were identified as predictors of COVID-19 fear in both samples. The findings indicate that the fear of COVID-19 is associated with and varies according to gender, depression, and well-being across cultures, and that the difference in the intensity of fear between German and South African students may be partly explained by cultural and contextual differences. These findings can create a deeper understanding of the pandemic's impact on student communities and may be used by mental health practitioners and researchers to develop and apply culture-specific interventions.

The effect of pecha-kucha training on fear and belief in myths of COVID-19 in elderly women

Adequate and accurate information reduces pandemic fear in elderly women with chronic disease, one of the risk groups for COVID-19. We aim to determine the effect of pecha kucha pandemic training on the fear and belief in myths of COVID-19 in elderly women. This prospective, randomized controlled experimental study with pre- and post-tests employed a total of 64 elderly women, including 32 for each of experimental and control groups. The data were collected using an introductory information form, the Questionnaire for Beliefs in COVID-19 Myths, and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Women in the experimental group were informed about COVID-19, using a pecha kucha presentation via smart phone. Those in the control group were given the same information using classical lecture method. The data were collected before, just after, and 3 months after the training and analyzed using Pearson's chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, Friedman, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks tests. Elderly women in the experimental group had significantly lower fear and belief in myths of COVID-19 both just after and 3 months after the training (p < 0.05, p < 0.05). A pandemic training by pecha-kucha presentation, which is a short, clear, understandable and memorable method of teaching, can reduce both fear and belief in myths of COVID-19 in elderly women.

What determines online rumour sharing on COVID-19? A stimulus–response framework

Based on the stimulus–response framework, this study examines the external environmental stimuli influencing online rumour sharing about COVID-19 and considers the contingent effect of fear. A large-scale online survey was used to test the proposed research model and hypotheses. The final data set comprised 2807 valid responses. The results indicate that perceptions of community safety and infection risk negatively affect online rumour sharing, while social influence positively affects online rumour sharing. Fear weakens the negative effects of community safety on online rumour sharing but strengthens the positive effect of social influence on online rumour sharing. This study provides a comprehensive analysis by applying the stimulus–response framework to explore the underlying drivers of online rumour sharing with regard to COVID-19 and the moderating effects of fear in the Chinese context.

COVID-19 preventive behavior among university students in Southeast Asia: Effects of knowledge, concern, awareness, and perceived risk

The persistent rise of pandemics across the globe in recent times has led to the prescription of several collaborative preventive strategies to reduce the effect that the pandemic has on public health. Consistent monitoring and surveillance appear to be the only available approach to detecting and classifying the issues of public health threats. Global pandemic threats demand public co-operation to take preventive actions at a personal level so that the risk of infectious diseases can be contained. Said that, this study explored the influence of awareness of precaution measures (APM), concerns about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (CAC), knowledge of COVID-19 (KOC), and perceived risk (PRK) on preventive behavior (PRB), as well as the effect of age and gender on the relationships among the studied variables. Quantitative data were collected from 551 university students across Malaysia and Vietnam through field survey and online survey, respectively. The data collection was performed from 13 March to 23 March 2020. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed for data analysis. The multiple group analysis (MGA) technique was applied to compare the data retrieved from the respondents based on age and gender. The results revealed that APM, CAC, KOC, and PRK on PRB significantly influenced PRB toward COVID-19. In light of the two personal factors, age and gender, significant variances were noted for age and KOC, while PRK on PRB on the PRB toward COVID-19. Based on the study outcomes, APM emerged as the most significant predictor of PRB, followed by PRK on PRB, and CAC. Since a large fraction of the world reside in rural areas and have high-level interaction with animals, the provision of education at all level can harness the attitude to adopt PRB toward COVID-19. As such, policymakers need to work with the young generation so that the latter may serve as change agents to spread the message of taking precautions and adopting effective PRB toward COVID-19.

Stressors and uplifts of confinement due to covid‐19: A longitudinal study on mental health in a sample of academic and administrative university staff in Spain

The rapid spread of COVID-19 caused many countries to decide to enter full lockdown, a circumstance that impacted all aspects of life, including mental health. The present longitudinal study aimed to analyse how stressors and uplifts of confinement were linked to psychological symptoms at three different time points: during the full lockdown (wave 1), after the gradual lifting of restrictions (wave 2) and after confinement (wave 3). The sample was made up by one hundred and twenty academic and administrative staff from a big University in Spain, they all completed an online survey. Results showed that psychological status did not change over time, but a significant interindividual variability was found throughout. Some stressors were only linked to symptoms at wave 1, but others maintained their associations during waves 2 and 3. Uplifts were, for the most part, inversely (and exclusively) linked to symptoms at wave 1. However, some of them, although enjoyable, were paradoxically linked to worse mental health at wave 1, and even at waves 2 and 3. These findings highlight the importance of providing preventive psychological strategies for mental distress before, during and after confinement.

Factors Affecting Perceived Effectiveness of Government Response towards COVID-19 Vaccination in Occidental Mindoro, Philippines

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused several developing countries to fall behind on vaccination at the onset of the pandemic, thus affecting the mobility of easing restrictions and lowering virus transmission. The current study integrated the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and extended the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to evaluate factors affecting the perceived effectiveness of government response towards COVID-19 vaccination in Occidental Mindoro. A total of 400 respondents from the municipalities of Occidental Mindoro answered the online questionnaires, which contained 61 questions. This study outlined the relationship between the dependent and independent variables using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicated that knowledge of COVID-19 vaccination had significant direct effects on its perceived severity. Subjective standards had significant adverse effects on willingness to follow. In addition, perceived behavioral control was discovered to impact willingness to follow positively. It also showed that perceived government response was significantly affected by adaptive behavior and actual behavior regarding the perceived government response. Meanwhile, it was found that the perceived government response had significant effects on perceived effectiveness. The current study is one of the first to study the factors that affect the perceived effectiveness of government response toward COVID- 19 vaccination.

Fear of COVID-19 infection and related factors in Japan: A comparison of college students, pregnant women, hospital nurses and the general public

The fear of COVID-19 has become a social problem during the pandemic. The present study compares the fear of COVID-19 among members of the general public, college students, pregnant women, and hospital nurses. It also examines various factors associated with the fear of COVID-19. In this study, we conducted a survey of the general public on fear of infection and related factors and compared from previous studies of college students, pregnant women, and hospital nurses. A crowdsourced survey was administered to 450 members of the general public, who were asked about their fear of COVID-19 infection. Data from college students, nurses, and pregnant women were recruited from a May-June 2020 survey on fear of COVID-19. An analysis of variance was used to compare the fear of infection among different attribution. The results showed that more pregnant women and fewer college students feared infection, as did equal numbers of hospital nurses and members of the general public. The multiple regression analysis revealed that college students and pregnant women associated the fear of infection with their key source of information, while hospital nurses associated the fear of infection with living with an older person. These results suggest that pregnant women have a significant fear of infection, which is further defined by the risk of serious illness in cases of infection. Although the fear of infection is relatively low among hospital nurses, they fear becoming a source of infection. These results reveal the groups in Japan that fear infection and the reasons for their concern. The present study may help to provide psychological support to counteract the fear of infection in vulnerable groups.

Research on Land Use Planning Based on Multisource Remote Sensing Data

Land use changes are analyzed correctly, a series of improvements according to the changes are carried out appropriately, the relationship between land use development and economic and human survival is handled correctly, and the healthy and orderly development of the entire society is promoted. Aiming at the combination of multisource remote sensing data and monitoring changes in land planning, this study uses CBERS data and ASAR data as multisource remote sensing data sources to conduct in-depth research and discussion on the land use change in this area and uses the HPF pixel-level fusion method for data fusion to generate HPF. The data are integrated, and then, the CBERS data and HPF fusion data are used to extract the land use type information of Zhenning County, respectively, and a confusion matrix is built based on the field sample points to verify the accuracy, compare and analyze the relative error of the land use type information extraction before and after data fusion, and evaluate the CBERS data. Regarding the extraction effect of land use type information of fusion data with HPF, the results show that the two kinds of remote sensing data have good effects in extracting water body type information, and the accuracy has reached 100%. Using multisource remote sensing image processing can well summarize and analyze land use changes and make the changes in various indicators in the study area. Accurate statistics is obtained.

More than a year into the pandemic: Do higher education students still practice protective behaviors against COVID-19?

BACKGROUND

The exponential increase of cases and the emergence of the new COVID-19 variants continue to be a challenge. It remains crucial to assess whether or not minimum health standards against COVID-19 are consistently followed. This study determined the higher education students' practice of protective measures against COVID-19 of more than a year into the pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A questionnaire web survey, cross-sectional study was conducted among higher education students (n = 2309) of a public university in the Philippines. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software.

RESULTS

Results indicated that students generally had a high practice of COVID-19 preventive measures. However, only 45.9% always practice physical distancing measures, and only 35.9% always seek information related to COVID-19 after more than a year into the pandemic. Female, married, graduate level, with a monthly family income of PHP 10,000 and above, and personal knowledge of someone who tested for COVID-19 had a significantly higher practice of COVID-19 protective measures. Older age, higher general self-reported health status, and higher intention to comply with recommended protective health behaviors were significantly correlated with higher practice of preventive measures against COVID-19.

CONCLUSION

After more than a year of being into the pandemic, students still practice preventive health behaviors, however, this is not done consistently. As the pandemic is still not over in the country and many parts of the world, continuous monitoring and a reminder to practice minimum protective health protocols are needed to mitigate and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Demographic, Health and Pandemic-Related Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccination Intention Among Filipino Emerging Adults

Emerging adults have become more susceptible to COVID-19 because of the emergence of the Delta and Omicron variants. Vaccination can help protect them from contracting the virus. However, in the Philippines, vaccine acceptance rates are low. This cross-sectional study sought to determine the demographic, health, and pandemic-related determinants of COVID-19 vaccination intention among Filipino emerging adults. A total of 1692 Filipinos aged 18-24 years old participated in this study by answering an online survey. Findings reveal that 57.03% of the respondents do not intend to complete their COVID-19 vaccinations. Logistic regression analysis results suggest that less than "very good" self-reported health, lower life satisfaction, previous exposure to a COVID-19 patient, and lower pandemic fatigue were associated with greater odds of intending to vaccinate among Filipino emerging adults (p < 0.05).

The information‐seeking behavior of medical sciences students toward COVID‐19 in mass and social media: A cross‐sectional study

Background and Aims

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, college students can access health‐related information on the Internet to improve preventative behaviors, but they often judge the merits of such information and create challenges in the community. The aim of this study was to investigate information‐seeking behaviors in regard to COVID‐19 among students at Kerman University of Medical Sciences (KUMS) with the help of mass and social media.

Methods

The present study is a cross‐sectional study, which was conducted using an online researcher‐made questionnaire. An invitation to participate in the study was sent to 500 students at KUMS, of which 203 were selected according to the inclusion criteria and completed the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.

Results

COVID‐19 news was mostly obtained through social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, radio, and television, as well as online publications and news agencies. Social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, and satellite networks such as BBC contained the most rumors about COVID‐19. Some of the most common misconceptions regarding COVID‐19 were as follows: “COVID‐19 is the deadliest disease in the world,” “COVID‐19 is a biological attack,” and “COVID‐19 disappears as the air temperature rises.” In addition, most of the virtual training provided through mass media focused on “refraining from visiting holy places and crowded locations such as markets,” “observing personal hygiene and refraining from touching the eyes, nose, and mouth with infected hands,” and “the role of quarantine in reducing the incidence of COVID‐19.”

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrated that during the pandemic, students used social media platforms the most to obtain health‐related information and these media have a significant impact on their willingness to engage in preventative behaviors and take the COVID‐19 risk seriously.

Hope and Resilience Related to Fear of COVID-19 in Young People

In the face of the psychological crisis of fear caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is relevant to know the positive impact of hope and resilience during this context. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between hope and resilience with fear of COVID-19 in young people. The design was non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational. The sample consisted of 192 young people living in Metropolitan Lima, Peru. We used the Hope-Despair Questionnaire, the Resilience Scale, and the COVID-19 Fear Questionnaire. The results show that there is a significant correlation between hope, resilience, and fear of COVID-19 in young people. On the other hand, a significant difference was found in resilience according to gender. Likewise, it was found that the variables hope and resilience explain 81% (R2 adjusted) of the fear of COVID-19 (F test = 21.53; p < 0.01). Hope and resilience are protective factors that have a positive impact when facing the fear of COVID-19. Thus, policies, programs, and public health strategies related to positive mental health should be promoted, with emphasis on hope and resilience.

Digital health literacy, online information-seeking behaviour, and satisfaction of Covid-19 information among the university students of East and South-East Asia

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a growing interest in online information about coronavirus worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the digital health literacy (DHL) level, information-seeking behaviour, and satisfaction of information on COVID-19 among East and South-East Asia university students. This cross-sectional web-based study was conducted between April to June 2020 by recruiting students from universities in China, Malaysia, and the Philippines. University students who have Internet access were invited to participate in the study. Items on sociodemographic variables, DHL, information-seeking behaviour, and information satisfaction were included in the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were conducted. A total of 5302 university students responded to the survey. The overall mean score across the four DHL subscales was 2.89 (SD: 0.42). Search engines (e.g., Google, Bing, Yahoo) (92.0%) and social media (88.4%) were highly utilized by the students, whereas Websites of doctors or health insurance companies were of lower utilization (64.7%). Across the domains (i.e., adding self-generated content, determining relevance, evaluating reliability, and protecting privacy) higher DHL was positively associated with higher usage of trustworthy resources. Providing online information on COVID-19 at official university websites and conducting health talks or web-based information dissemination about the strategies for mental health challenges during pandemic could be beneficial to the students. Strengthening DHL among university students will enhance their critical thinking and evaluation of online resources, which could direct them to the quality and trustworthy information sources on COVID-19.

Structural equation modelling of COVID-19 knowledge and attitude as determinants of preventive practices among university students in Ghana

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has distorted the economic development activities of many countries across continents. This undesirable tragedy has highly affected the educational system, which majorly contributes to the wellbeing of an individual and the economy as a whole. The study aims to explore the determinants of COVID-19 preventive practices among students considering their knowledge about COVID-19 and attitudes toward the disease. The data for the study were collected through an online questionnaire survey involving university students. The relationship between students’ knowledge, attitude and their preventive practices towards COVID-19 were investigated using structural equation modelling. The results indicated that most students demonstrated substantial knowledge on COVID-19, moderate to strongly agree attitude towards COVID-19, and sometimes practiced COVID-19 preventive and safety protocols. In addition, a positive relationship between knowledge and attitudes towards COVID-19 was established. Also, a positive effect was established for students’ knowledge about COVID-19 and preventive practices, whilst an adverse effect was confirmed for attitudes towards COVID-19 and practices to avoid spreading the COVID-19 disease.

Psychometric evaluation of fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) among Chinese primary and middle schoolteachers, and their students

Utilizing a large-scale cross-sectional survey, the present study tested the advanced psychometric properties of Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in specific populations (i.e., primary and middle schoolteachers, and their students). The present study also examined the association between perceived fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress among home-room teachers (i.e., teachers who teach all their students in one classroom all day) and their students. The results among participants (11,134 teachers and 4,335 students) indicated good internal reliability of FCV-19S and excellent factorial validity with a two-factor structure utilizing these specific populations. Furthermore, the multilevel analysis showed that home-room teachers' psychological distress, but not fear of COVID-19, was positively associated with their students. In sum, the FCV-19S is a useful tool to assess the fear of COVID-19 on potentially vulnerable populations (i.e., primary/middle schoolteachers and their students). Future studies are encouraged to use the present study's findings to investigate possible underlying mechanisms for developing effective coping strategies and interventions.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-021-02471-3.

Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines among college students: a study of the attitudes, knowledge, and willingness of students to vaccinate

Universities are considered high risk areas for COVID-19 outbreaks given the crowded environment of campuses with high mobility and limited space. As such, vaccination is considered an essential intervention that could greatly reduce the incidence and spread of this deadly infectious disease. However, the willingness of college students to receive the COVID-19 vaccine varies significantly. Therefore, a study on the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines in college students that explores the attitudes, knowledge, willingness, and key factors influencing vaccination acceptance is of great significance to improve vaccine coverage and control the pandemic. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on students from three universities in China. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t tests/one-way ANOVA (normal distribution), Mann-Whitney U tests/Kruskal-Wallis H tests (skewness distribution) and multivariate linear regression were performed. As a result, a total of 3,256 students participated in the survey. Students' willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was high (86%), and they had good knowledge of the vaccine (77.9%). However, they had a low-risk perception of COVID-19 and less positive attitudes toward vaccination (69.8%). The main influencing factors were sex, age, specialty, grades, living environment, spending level, traveling to risk areas, and family members' vaccination experiences. We believed that to increase vaccination coverage among college students, more attention should be paid for students majoring in Science and Engineering, male students, those in the lower age group, students with low or very high economic levels, living in remote or rural areas, and family members having not received the COVID-19 vaccine.

The effect of information-seeking behaviours on prevention behaviour implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic: mediating effects of anxiety and fear

OBJECTIVES

Identifying determinants of prevention behaviours during the emergence of a new infectious disease is important. We investigated the associations between information-seeking and prevention behaviours during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and mediating effects of psychiatric factors.

METHODS

In total, 1,970 participants from the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Etiology Research Center cohort participated in an online survey 55 days after the first COVID-19 case in Korea was diagnosed. Time spent seeking information related to COVID-19; information sources; psychiatric factors, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and the fear of COVID-19; and prevention behaviours were examined. The mediating effect of psychiatric factors was estimated using mediation analysis.

RESULTS

Time spent seeking information and information sources affected several behavioural responses. In men, anxiety mediated associations between information-seeking and prevention behaviours, including purchasing sanitary supplies (effect size [ES], 0.038; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.002 to 0.095) and hoarding (ES, 0.029; 95% CI, 0.002 to 0.068). The fear of COVID-19 also mediated associations between information-seeking and prevention behaviours including refraining from going out (men: ES, 0.034; 95% CI, 0.009 to 0.068; women: ES, 0.052; 95% CI, 0.030 to 0.080), wearing face masks (men: ES, 0.085; 95% CI, 0.031 to 0.184), avoiding public transportation (men: ES, 0.020; 95% CI, 0.000 to 0.044; women: ES, 0.031; 95% CI, 0.015 to 0.051), hoarding (women: ES, 0.051; 95% CI, 0.029 to 0.792), and trying alternative remedies (men: ES, 0.024; 95% CI, 0.004 to 0.053). Depressive symptoms and PTSS did not have any mediating effects.

CONCLUSIONS

While the availability of information related to COVID-19 can help prevent infections, it can also promote anxiety and fear, leading to negative behaviours such as hoarding and trying unverified alternative treatments.

Exploring information seeking of rural older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose

This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the types and sources of information sought by older adults along with their motivations in the Midwestern United States.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews were conducted with 30 older adults residing in rural communities around the Midwestern United States during late-summer (July/August) 2020, using a protocol based on Dervin's Sense-Making Methodology. The resulting data was analyzed using standard content analysis procedures, guided by the theoretical frameworks based on Dervin's Sense-Making and Williamson's Ecological Model of Information Behavior. Implications of COVID-19 for the normative behaviors described in these models are discussed.

Findings

Findings show that older adults were concerned primarily with health and political information during this period, but that this information was not necessarily sought only to address an informational need, but also to satisfy the need to maintain social and emotional connections in coping with isolation and loneliness. Sources of information that allowed for social interaction with people were favored. Wider personal networks (community members) were strained by the social distancing measures and closures. These findings have theoretical and practical implications for considering the impact of social restrictions on information seeking behaviors of older adults in a time of crisis.

Originality/value

This study is the first, known to the authors, that applied the two adopted theoretical frameworks to explore information seeking behaviors of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.