Worry much? Preventive health behaviours related to worry across countries amid COVID-19

Relationships among health-related social media use, knowledge, worry, and cervical cancer screening: A cross-sectional study of US females

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the relationship between health-related social media use and HPV-related health knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP).

METHOD

Data were derived from a subset of the national cohort from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6), including only women aged 21 to 65 years old (n = 2013). Ordinary least squares regression and structural equation modeling were used to answer the research question and test hypotheses.

RESULTS

Participants with a family history of cancer, higher education, and White showed more HPV knowledge. Older females were associated with lower HPV knowledge, less worry and fewer timely cervical cancer screening. Additionally, HPV knowledge positively predicted worry and cervical cancer screening. Health-related social media use positively predicted HPV knowledge, worry, and cervical cancer screening.

CONCLUSION

This study identified populations with HPV knowledge and hesitated cervical cancer screening and tested hypothesized models that combine social media use with the KAP survey.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Future health interventions should strategically leverage the role of social media to enhance public awareness of HPV knowledge and cancer concerns. By promoting HPV knowledge and awareness, such interventions can subsequently encourage timely cervical cancer screening.

How German and Italian Laypeople Reason about Distributive Shortages during COVID-19

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to investigate how moral reasoning is influenced by individuals' exposure to a crisis and by personal, societal and temporal proximity. We examined how Italians and Germans judged different behaviors that arose because of the pandemic, which affected health and societal matters. (2) Methods: Over the course of four months and three assessment periods, we used an observational online survey to assess participants' judgments regarding seven scenarios that addressed distributive shortages during the pandemic. (3) Results: Overall, there was no clear answering pattern across all scenarios. For a variation of triage and pandemic restrictions, most participants selected a mean value, which can be interpreted as deferring the choice. For the other scenarios, most participants used the extremes of the scale, thereby reflecting a clear opinion of the public regarding the moral issue. In addition, moral reasoning varied across the two countries, assessment periods, fear, and age. (4) Conclusions: By using scenarios that were taken from real-life experiences, the current study addresses criticism that moral research mostly relies on unrealistic scenarios that lack in external validity, plausibility, and proximity to everyday situations. In addition, it shows how lay people regard measures of public health and societal decision-making.

International psychological research addressing the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: A rapid scoping review and implications for global psychology

In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Given that keeping abreast of international perspectives and research results is of particular importance for such massive global emergencies, we employed a scoping review methodology to rapidly map the field of international psychological research addressing this important early phase of the pandemic. We included a total of 79 studies, with data mostly collected between March and June 2020. This review aimed to systematically identify and map the nature and scope of international studies examining psychological aspects of the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic. We mapped key research themes, subfields of psychology, the nature and extent of international research collaboration, data methods employed, and challenges and enablers faced by psychological researchers in the early stages of the pandemic. Among the wide range of themes covered, mental health and social behaviours were the key themes. Most studies were in clinical/health psychology and social psychology. Network analyses revealed how authors collaborated and to what extent the studies were international. Europe and the United States were often at the centre of international collaboration. The predominant study design was cross-sectional and online with quantitative analyses. We also summarised author reported critical challenges and enablers for international psychological research during the COVID pandemic, and conclude with implications for the field of psychology.

The roles of life stress and preventive health behaviors on parent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted millions of lives, with life stress and daily hassles having a potential impact on parent mental health. This study examined whether preventive health behaviors (e.g. social distancing, mask wearing) and social support relate to parent mental health. In a cross-sectional analysis of parents (N = 176, May-September 2020), life events and daily hassles were positively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. Preventive health behaviors moderated the association between daily hassles and depressive symptoms. Preventive health behaviors may protect those with high levels of daily hassles from moderate levels of depression.