The relationship between trust in mass media and the healthcare system and individual health: evidence from the AsiaBarometer Survey

Association between public health measures and the public's well-being during the pandemic: a nationwide Japanese study

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to investigate the association between the duration of anti-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health measures and the quality of life (QOL) and mental health of the Japanese public.

METHODS

The present, nationwide, questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in September 2021. The cumulative duration in days of anti-COVID-19 public health measures was calculated for each prefecture in the year prior to the survey, and multilevel linear regression analysis was used to determine the association between the duration of these measures and any impairment of QOL or mental health as assessed by the EuroQol 5-dimensions 5-levels (EQ-5D-5L) and the Kessler scale (K6).

RESULTS

The study included 28 118 participants from all 47 prefectures. The median duration of public health measures of all prefectures was 179 days. Long-term duration of the measures (181-365 days) was not independently associated with low EQ-5D-5L (P = 0.128) or high K6 (P = 0.179) scores after adjusting for potential confounders (Graphical Abstract).

CONCLUSIONS

Prolongation of the measures may not be associated with a deterioration in the QOL or mental health of the Japanese public. Nevertheless, it may be necessary to reconsider long-term public health measures given the potential they may have to cause collateral damage, such as socioeconomic one.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the short nutritional literacy scale for young adults (18-35years) and analysis of the influencing factors

OBJECTIVES

This study translated the short nutrition literacy scale for young adults (18-35 years) into Chinese, examined its reliability and validity, and analyzed its influencing factors.

METHODS

The scale was translated using a modified Brislin translation model. A convenience sample of 508 cases was selected for the survey. Content validity, structural validity, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and test-retest reliability were used to evaluate the scale's reliability and validity. To screen the factors influencing nutrition literacy in young people.

RESULTS

The Chinese version of the Item-Level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) was 0.833 ~ 1, and the Scale-Level Content Validity Index/Average (S-CVI/Ave) was 0.908. The cumulative variance contribution of the scale was 51.029%, and the model was generally well-fitted. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and retest reliability of the scale were 0.826 and 0.818. The results showed that the level of education, mother's education, nutrition-related courses, and frequency of attention to nutritional health information were the factors influencing the nutritional literacy of young people.

CONCLUSION

The Chinese version of the S-NutLit Scale can effectively assess the nutrients of young Chinese people. Low levels of education, low levels of education of mothers, lack of exposure to nutrition-related courses, and low frequency of attention to nutritional health information can lead to lower levels of nutritional literacy among young people.

Technology-assisted adaptive recruitment strategy for a large nation-wide COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity study in Brunei

A national study was conducted in Brunei to assess and compare the immunogenicity of the various brands of COVID-19 vaccines administered to the population as part of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. Most of the population have had received at least 2 doses of BBIBP-CorV, AZD1222 or MRNA-1273 vaccines. Neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 induced by these vaccines will be analysed to infer population-level immune protection against COVID-19. During the 5-week recruitment period, 24,260 eligible individuals were invited to the study via SMS, out of which 2,712 participants were enrolled into the study. This paper describes the novel adaptive strategy used to recruit the study participants. Digital technology was leveraged to perform targeted online recruitment to circumvent the limitations of traditional recruitment methods. Technology also enabled stratified random selection of these eligible individuals who were stratified based on age, gender and vaccine brand. Data was extracted from the electronic health records, the national mobile health application and a third-party survey platform and integrated into a dedicated research platform called EVYDResearch. The instant availability and access to up-to-date data on EVYDResearch enabled the study team to meet weekly and adopt an adaptive recruitment strategy informed by behavioural science, where interventions could be quickly implemented to improve response rates. Some examples of these include incorporating nudge messaging into SMS invitations, involving the Minister of Health to make press announcements on this study, media coverage, setting up an enquiries hotline and reaching out to foreign language speaking expatriates of a local multinational company to participate in this study. Data integration from various data sources, real time information sharing and a strong teamwork led to good outcomes adaptable to the progress of recruitment, compared to the more time-consuming and static traditional recruitment methods.

A Shot in the Arm for Vaccination Intention: The Media and the Health Belief Model in Three Chinese Societies

This large-sample study of three Chinese societies-Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong-demonstrates the importance of media exposure for people's vaccination intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic. By employing two constructs (i.e., perceived susceptibility and severity) in the health belief model (HBM), the study identifies significant indirect effects of media exposure on individuals' vaccination intention in all three Chinese societies. That said, media trust negatively moderated the path from perceived severity to vaccination intention in Mainland China and Taiwan. In these two societies, the higher an individual's trust in media, the less influence of perceived severity on his/her vaccination intention. It suggests that the level of trust in media is a contextual factor in explaining individuals' decision-making on health issues. Generally, the combination of the HBM and media trust has been proven to be useful for understanding individuals' vaccination intentions. These findings provide practical considerations for governmental agencies, public institutions, and health campaign designers to promote vaccination in the pandemic.

Analysis of the Impact of Media Trust on the Public's Motivation to Receive Future Vaccinations for COVID-19 Based on Protection Motivation Theory

Object: Media trust is one of the essential factors affecting health behavior. Based on the protection motivation theory (PMT), this study explores the impact of different public media trust (traditional media, social media, interpersonal communication) on future COVID-19 vaccine motivation. Methods: The online survey was conducted from 14 April to 30 April 2021, and 2098 adults were recruited to participate in the online survey through the Wenjuanxing online survey platform. The survey included the PMT constructs (threat appraisal, coping appraisal, and motivation for future COVID-19 vaccination), trust in different media, vaccine hesitation reasons, and implementation of other non-pharmaceutical interventions. Structural equation model (SEM) was used for latent variable analysis, and Spearman linear correlation coefficient matrix was used to explore the relationships between variables. Results: In terms of trust in different media, participants who had a higher education level (p = 0.038), who was married (p = 0.002), and who had not been vaccinated against COVID-19 during the survey (p = 0.002) show greater trust in traditional media. Participants who were married (p = 0.001), who had a relatively high income (p = 0.020), and who had not been vaccinated (p = 0.044) show greater trust in social media. Older participants (p < 0.001) and married (p < 0.001) showed greater trust in interpersonal communication. In the structural equation, trust in traditional media had a direct positive impact on perceived severity (β = 0.172, p < 0.001) and a direct negative impact on internal rewards (β = -0.061, p < 0.05). Trust in both traditional and social media separately had a direct positive impact on self-efficacy (β = 0.327, p < 0.001; β = 0.138, p < 0.001) and response efficiency (β = 0.250, p < 0.001; β = 0.097, p < 0.05) and a direct negative impact on response costs (β = -0.329, p < 0.001; β = -0.114, p < 0.001). Trust in interpersonal communication had a direct positive impact on external rewards (β = 0.186, p < 0.001) and response costs (β = 0.091, p < 0.001). Overall, traditional media trust had an indirect positive influence on vaccine motivation (β = 0.311), social media trust had an indirect positive influence on vaccine motivation (β = 0.110), and interpersonal communication had an indirect negative influence on vaccine motivation (β = -0.022). Conclusion: This study supports the use of PMT as an intermediate variable to explore the effect of media trust on vaccination intention. High trust in traditional media has helped reduce vaccine hesitation, increased the public's future COVID-19 vaccination motivation, and maintained other non-pharmacological interventions. Social media also had a certain promotion effect on vaccine motivation. In this context, attention should also be paid to interpersonal communication, and the science publicity work was suggested for an individual's family members and friends in the future to improve the quality and ability of interpersonal communication.

Are both individual-level and county-level social capital associated with individual health? A serial cross-sectional analysis in China, 2010-2015

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to examine the associations of both individual-level and county-level social capital with individual health in China during a period of rapid economic growth.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A serial cross-sectional study in China.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

The participants were 42 829 Chinese adults (aged ≥18 years) from the 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015 Chinese General Social Survey. The outcomes were self-rated physical and mental health in all time points. We assessed social capital by the individual-level and county-level indicators, including frequency of socialising, civic participation and trust. We conducted multilevel binary logistic regression models to examine the associations of individual-level and county-level social capital with self-rated physical and mental health.

RESULTS

At the individual level, high frequency of socialising (2010-OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.33 to 1.66; 2012-OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.26 to 1.54; 2013-OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.15 to 1.42; 2015-OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.23 to 1.50) and high trust (2010-OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.22 to 1.47; 2012-OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.18 to 1.42; 2013-OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.33; 2015-OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.28 to 1.55) was significantly associated with good physical health in all years. At the individual level, high frequency of socialising (2010-OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.42; 2012-OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.09 to 1.34; 2013-OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.45; 2015-OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.22 to 1.50) and high trust (2010-OR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.34 to 1.61; 2012-OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.30 to 1.56; 2013-OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.24 to 1.49; 2015-OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.30 to 1.57) was also significantly associated with good mental health in all years. No evidence showed that the associations of individual-level frequency of socialising and trust with physical and mental health changed over time. There were no consistent associations of individual-level civic participation or any county-level social capital indicators with physical or mental health.

CONCLUSION

The positive associations of individual-level social capital in terms of socialising and trust with physical and mental health were robust during a period of rapid economic growth. Improving individual-level socialising and trust for health promotion could be a long-term strategy even within a rapidly developing society.

Exploring the impacts of media use and media trust on health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in China

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of traditional media, social media, and media trust on people’s compliance with health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. A total of 3000 Chinese adults filled online questionnaire using quota sampling method. Results show that use of central government media and use of WeChat are positively related to compliance with health behaviors, while use of local media and use of Weibo are negatively related to the levels of compliance. In addition, trust in the media amplified the effects of media use on levels of compliance.

Risk and Resilience Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Snapshot of the Experiences of Canadian Workers Early on in the Crisis

Research highlights several risk and resilience factors at multiple ecological levels that influence individuals’ mental health and wellbeing in their everyday lives and, more specifically, in disaster or outbreak situations. However, there is limited research on the role of these factors in the early days of the COVID-19 crisis. The present study examined if and how potential risk factors (i.e., reduction in income, job insecurity, feelings of vulnerability to contracting the virus, lack of confidence in avoiding COVID-19, compliance with preventative policies) and resilience factors (i.e., trait resilience, family functioning, social support, social participation, and trust in healthcare institutions) are associated with mental health and well-being outcomes, and whether these resilience factors buffer (i.e., moderate) the associations between risk factors and said outcomes. One to two weeks after the government recommended preventative measures, 1,122 Canadian workers completed an online questionnaire, including multiple wellbeing outcome scales in addition to measures of potential risk and resilience factors. Structural equation models were tested, highlighting that overall, the considered risk factors were associated with poorer wellbeing outcomes, except social distancing which was associated with lower levels of stress. Each of the potential resilience factors was found to have a main effect on one or more of the wellbeing outcomes. Moderation analysis indicated that in general these resilience factors did not, however, buffer the risk factors. The findings confirm that the COVID-19 crisis encompasses several stressors related to the virus as well as to its impact on one’s social, occupational, and financial situation, which put people at risk for lower wellbeing as early as one to two weeks after the crisis began. While several resilience factors emerged as positively related to wellbeing, such factors may not be enough, or sufficiently activated at that time, to buffer the effects of the numerous life changes required by COVID-19. From an ecological perspective, while mental health professionals and public health decision-makers should offer/design services directly focused on mental health and wellbeing, it is important they go beyond celebrating individuals’ inner potential for resilience, and also support individuals in activating their environmental resources during a pandemic.

Subjective well-being and mental health during the pandemic outbreak: Exploring the role of institutional trust

This study examined the relationship between material adversities due to pandemic crisis, institutional trust, and subjective well-being and mental health among middle-aged and older adults aged 50+ in Europe. The study used a cross-sectional design to examine Eurofound COVID-19 survey data collected from 27 European countries in April 2020. A total of 31,757 European middle aged and older adults aged 50 + were analyzed (Mean = 59.99, SD = 7.03). Analysis focused on the financial impact and material security in relation to pandemic lockdown, institutional trust (news media, police, national government, European Union, and healthcare system), and subjective well-being and mental health. Regression analysis indicated perceived insecurity in employment and housing, worsening finances, and difficulty paying for basic necessities were significantly related to respondents' life satisfaction, happiness, self-rated health, mental health index, and psychological distress. Institutional trust partially mediated the relationship between perceived adversities and subjective well-being and mental health.

Social capital, policy fairness, and subjective life satisfaction of earthquake survivors in Wenchuan, China: a longitudinal study based on post-earthquake survey data

Background

Existing research has rarely examined an earthquake’s sustained impact and the trajectory of the earthquake survivors’ life satisfaction over time. This study aims to analyze longitudinal changes in life satisfaction of Wenchuan earthquake survivors and the impact of social capital and government relief policy.

Methods

This research applied a hierarchical linear model to longitudinal survey data collected after the earthquake. The survey was divided into three waves and was collected from Deyang City and Mianyang City of Sichuan Province. A random sampling method was used; a sample of 225 participants had valid responses over three waves of the survey.

Results

This study found that a survivor’s social capital and the perception of the fairness of government relief policy have a significant effect on the trajectory of life satisfaction post-disaster. First, the initial life satisfaction of those with high social capital was significantly higher than of those with low social capital, whilst survivors with high social capital had a lower rate of change in life satisfaction. Second, one year after the earthquake, those who felt government policy was unfair had a lower life satisfaction than those who felt it was fair. However, from the first year to the fourth year after the disaster, survivors who believed that the government policy was unfair experienced a higher rate of change in life satisfaction than those who did not. Third, the fairness of government relief policy moderates the relationship between survivors’ social capital and changes in life satisfaction. A fair policy of relief can reduce the negative impact of the lack of individual social capital on life satisfaction.

Conclusions

Survivors reconstruct life satisfaction through their social network and the perception of the fairness of the government’s post-disaster relief policy. Therefore, to promote the improvement of life satisfaction of survivors, it is necessary to cultivate social capital and ensure fairness of the relief policy.

Relation of High Social Capital to Preferable Emotional Response to News Media Broadcasting of Natural Disasters: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in Japan

Media coverage of disasters potentially damages mental health. Moreover, its effects may differ as recipients may have different emotional responses toward media. The present study examined whether social capital, known to be protective against mental problems, influences a recipient's emotional response toward news media broadcasting of natural disasters via newspapers, television and internet in Japan. Three social capital components, social participation, social support and cognitive social capital, were considered in the present study as each component reportedly had different effect on mental health. This nationwide cross-sectional survey was undertaken in 2015 among 1,200 Japanese citizens aged 15 to 79 years who were selected using the multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were collected via the drop-off pick-up method using a printed structured questionnaire. Negative and positive emotions were classified based on recipients' responses against news media. Among 1,190 participants who reported emotions toward news media, 30.9% (368) had experienced any natural disasters, 37.4% (445) belonged to at least one formal or informal organization (social participation), 40.2% (478) had high social support, and 68.8% (819) had high cognitive social capital. High social support was associated with both reduced negative emotional response (OR 0.66, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.47-0.93) and increased positive emotional response (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.04-2.12) in multivariate analyses, while high cognitive social capital was only associated with increased positive emotional response (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.11-2.37). These results suggest protective effects of social support and cognitive social capital against news media coverage of natural disasters.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Awareness among Diabetic Patients in Davangere about the Association between Diabetes and Periodontal Disease

Objective:

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the major public health problems. Association of diabetes and periodontitis is widely proven and can influence each other in the development and progression of the disease and its complications, which are largely preventable. Hence, if data could be collected on the knowledge and awareness about the association between DM and periodontal disease, the results could be applied in creating public health campaigns and can bring about lifestyle modification among people. The aim of the present study is to assess the awareness, attitude, and practices of diabetic patients regarding their periodontal health in Davangere city with the objective of enhancing dental health education for this population, which would upgrade their knowledge and awareness.

Materials and Methods:

The present cross-sectional survey was carried out on 600 diabetic patients from various clinics. A time limit of 3 months was set for the data collection which was then subjected to statistical software SAS 9.2, SPSS 15.0, Stata 10.1, MedCalc 9.0.1, Systat 12.0, and R environment version 2.11.1 for statistical analysis.

Results:

On correlation of gender and education with overall knowledge of association between periodontal disease and DM, females and participants below secondary school education and lower duration of DM were significantly associated with lack of knowledge. Other questions revealed limited awareness, sources, and need for more information about this association and depicted poor knowledge and attitude toward the oral health.

Conclusion:

Dental professionals need to create awareness about the importance of maintaining good oral health influencing overall general health in diabetic patients. Oral screening and referral by health professionals to dentists may benefit diabetic patients by improving access to dental care.

Predictors and Extent of Institutional Trust in Government, Banks, the Media and Religious Organisations: Evidence from Cross-Sectional Surveys in Six Asia-Pacific Countries

Background

Building or maintaining institutional trust is of central importance in democratic societies since negative experiences (potentially leading to mistrust) with government or other institutions may have a much more profound effect than positive experiences (potentially maintaining trust). Healthy democracy relies on more than simply trusting the national government of the time, and is mediated through other symbols of institutional power, such as the legal system, banks, the media and religious organisations. This paper focuses on institutional trust–the level and predictors of trust in some of the major institutions in society, namely politics, the media, banks, the legal system and religious organisations. We present analyses from a consolidated dataset containing data from six countries in the Asia Pacific region–Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

Methods

Cross-sectional surveys were undertaken in each country in 2009–10, with an overall sample of 6331. Analyses of differences in overall levels of institutional trust between countries were undertaken using Chi square analyses. Multivariate binomial logistic regression analysis was undertaken to identify socio-demographic predictors of trust in each country.

Results

Religious institutions, banks and the judicial system had the highest overall trust across all countries (70%, 70% and 67% respectively), followed by newspapers and TV (59% and 58%) and then political leaders (43%). The range of levels of higher trust between countries differed from 43% for banks (range 49% in Australia to 92% in Thailand) to 59% for newspapers (28% in Australia to 87% in Japan). Across all countries, except for Australia, trust in political leaders had the lowest scores, particularly in Japan and South Korea (25% in both countries). In Thailand, people expressed the most trust in religious organisations (94%), banks (92%) and in their judicial/legal system (89%). In Hong Kong, people expressed the highest level of trust in their judicial/legal system (89%), followed by religious organisations (75%) and banks (77%). Australian respondents reported the least amount of trust in TV/media (24%) and press/newspapers (28%). South Korea put the least trust in their political leaders (25%), their legal system (43%) and religious organisations (45%). The key predictors of lower trust in institutions across all countries were males, people under 44 years and people unsatisfied with the health and standard of living.

Conclusion

We interpreted our data using Fukuyama’s theory of ‘high/low trust’ societies. The levels of institutional trust in each society did not conform to our hypothesis, with Thailand exhibiting the highest trust (predicted to be medium level), Hong Kong and Japan exhibiting medium trust (predicted to be low and high respectively) and Australia and South Korea exhibiting low trust (predicted to be high and medium respectively). Taiwan was the only country where the actual and predicted trust was the same, namely low trust. Given the fact that these predictors crossed national boundaries and institutional types, further research and policy should focus specifically on improving trust within these groups in order that they can be empowered to play a more central role in democratic vitality.

Improving Medical Decision Making and Health Promotion through Culture-Sensitive Health Communication

This review introduces the concept of culture-sensitive health communication. The basic premise is that congruency between the recipient’s cultural characteristics and the respective message will increase the communication’s effectiveness. Culture-sensitive health communication is therefore defined as the deliberate and evidence-informed adaptation of health communication to the recipients’ cultural background in order to increase knowledge and improve preparation for medical decision making and to enhance the persuasiveness of messages in health promotion. To achieve effective health communication in varying cultural contexts, an empirically and theoretically based understanding of culture will be indispensable. We therefore define culture, discuss which evolutionary and structural factors contribute to the development of cultural diversity, and examine how differences are conceptualized as scientific constructs in current models of cultural differences. In addition, we will explicate the implications of cultural differences for psychological theorizing, because common constructs of health behavior theories and decision making, such as attitudes or risk perception, are subject to cultural variation. In terms of communication, we will review both communication strategies and channels that are used to disseminate health messages, and we will discuss the implications of cultural differences for their effectiveness. Finally, we propose an agenda both for science and for practice to advance and apply the evidence base for culture-sensitive health communication. This calls for more interdisciplinary research between science and practice but also between scientific disciplines and between basic and applied research.

Management of diabolical diabetes mellitus and periodontitis nexus: Are we doing enough?

Periodontitis is the commonest oral disease affecting population worldwide. This disease is notorious for the devastation of tooth supporting structures, ensuing in the loss of dentition. The etiology for this disease is bacterial biofilm, which accumulates on the teeth as dental plaque. In addition to the biofilm microorganisms, other factors such as environmental, systemic and genetic are also responsible in progression of periodontitis. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is metabolic disorder which has an impact on the global health. DM plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Periodontitis is declared as the “sixth” major complication of DM. Evidence based literature has depicted an enhanced incidence and severity of periodontitis in subjects with DM. A “two way” relationship has been purported between periodontitis and DM. Mutual management of both conditions is necessary. Periodontal therapy (PT) may assist to diminish the progression of DM and improve glycemic control. Various advanced technological facilities may be utilized for the purpose of patient education and disease management. The present paper clarifies the etio-pathogenesis of periodontitis, establishing it as a complication of DM and elaborating the various mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis. The role of PT in amelioration of DM and application of digital communication will be discussed. Overall, it is judicious to create an increased patient cognizance of the periodontitis-DM relationship. Conjunctive efforts must be undertaken by the medical and oral health care professionals for the management of periodontitis affected DM patients.

People's trust in health news disseminated by mass media in Tehran

BACKGROUND

People are increasingly interested in health news. As a mass media, the 'Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting' (IRIB) has the highest number of target audiences. In Iran, some people follow health news via health programs on satellites and other means of communication. However, all of these programs do not live up to the standards of scientific evidence. In this study, we examined Tehran people's trust in health news disseminated by the IRIB and other mass media outlets.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Tehran. Through multistage sampling, 510 households proportional to size were randomly selected from five regions of Tehran including northern, eastern, western, southern and central regions. One person from each household completed the questionnaire through interviews. The questionnaire included questions on people's level of trust in health news delivered by the IRIB, satellite programs, the internet and magazines. It also included demographic questions. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire was evaluated.

RESULTS

Among the interviewees, 50.6% was female. The highest level of trust by the participants was observed in the IRIB (65.2%), and the lowest trust was observed in satellite news (43.4%); p< 0.001. The interviewees believed that the IRIB news broadcasters had more mastery over the subject than the ones in satellite channels (p< 0.001). The IRIB's coverage of important and relevant health topics was also significantly perceived to be better than that of satellite news (p< 0.001). According to 83.5% of interviewees, the quality of health news had improved in the past 10 years. Fifty nine point eight percent of participants believed the quality and accuracy of the IRIB health news was monitored.

CONCLUSION

People's higher level of trust in domestic news as compared to foreign sources and the better status of domestic sources in other areas such as precision in reporting, coverage of more important news, its delivery in lay language, the news broadcasters' proficiency, and other cases - from the participants' point of view - can highlight the significance of designing interventions for changing health behavior among domestic health news producers. Therefore, the results of this study can prove useful to health news policy makers in the IRIB.

Influences of social capital on health and well-being from qualitative approach

The social capital surrounding health including health and well-being, the way in which they function as multi-dimensional constructs, and the potential stability of relationships among the social capital were examined across universities in Hawaii and Japan. Maintaining or strengthening social factors of collective and individual health and well-being is a core factor of social capital and is instrumental in reducing worry and increasing trust. Qualitative in-depth interviews with 64 male and female college students (32 college students at the University of Hawaii at Manoa; 32 college students at Reitaku University in Japan) were used to collect information on social capital of health and well-being and associated concepts; students’ perceptions were grouped under 11 themes. The data indicates that social capital has an impact on college students’ health and well-being. They also suggest that differences in health status and well-being can be plausibly attributed to processes associated with socio-environmental circumstances and situations.

Examining the health information-seeking behaviors of Korean Americans

Many Korean Americans suffer from high levels of cancer incidence and have low cancer screening rates. A significant number of Korean Americans lack adequate information about cancer screening tests. However, little is known about their health behaviors. This article examines exposure to mass media and health information-seeking behaviors for Korean Americans, and their associations with demographic characteristics influencing variations in exposure to the different health information and trust in health information sources. The authors gathered data for this study using a cross-sectional, community-based survey conducted in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area during 2006 and 2007. It was administered to 254 Korean Americans who were 40 years of age or older. This study is part of the first health-related program of research to study exposure to mass media, health and cancer information sources, and seeking preferences and experiences of Korean Americans. Results indicated that Korean ethnic media sources and Internet are important sources used regularly. Age, years of education completed, and English proficiency levels for Korean Americans significantly predicted the likelihood of their Internet use. Low-income Korean Americans with less education were more likely to seek health information in Korean ethnic magazines and newspapers, whereas Korean Americans with higher education and English proficiency were more likely to seek information online. The most trusted source of health information among respondents was from a doctor or other health care professional. Future research should be conducted to determine whether physicians are actually used as a primary source for health information.

Social capital and health: a review of prospective multilevel studies

BACKGROUND

This article presents an overview of the concept of social capital, reviews prospective multilevel analytic studies of the association between social capital and health, and discusses intervention strategies that enhance social capital.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic search of published peer-reviewed literature on the PubMed database and categorized studies according to health outcome.

RESULTS

We identified 13 articles that satisfied the inclusion criteria for the review. In general, both individual social capital and area/workplace social capital had positive effects on health outcomes, regardless of study design, setting, follow-up period, or type of health outcome. Prospective studies that used a multilevel approach were mainly conducted in Western countries. Although we identified some cross-sectional multilevel studies that were conducted in Asian countries, including Japan, no prospective studies have been conducted in Asia.

CONCLUSIONS

Prospective evidence from multilevel analytic studies of the effect of social capital on health is very limited at present. If epidemiologic findings on the association between social capital and health are to be put to practical use, we must gather additional evidence and explore the feasibility of interventions that build social capital as a means of promoting health.

Correlates of consumer trust in online health information: findings from the health information national trends survey

The past few decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in consumers seeking health information online. However, the quality of such information remains questionable, and the trustworthiness of online health information has become a hot topic, whereas little attention has been paid to how consumers evaluate online health information credibility. This study builds on theoretical perspectives of trust such as personal-capital-based, social-capital-based, and transfer-based, and it examines various correlates of consumer trust in online health information. The author analyzed the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey data (N = 7,674). Results showed that consumer trust in online health information did not correlate with personal capital such as income, education, and health status. Social capital indicated by visiting social networking Web sites was not associated with trust in online health information either. Nevertheless, trust in online health information transferred from traditional mass media and government health agencies to the Internet, and it varied by such information features as easiness to locate and to understand. Age appeared to be a key factor in understanding the correlates of trust in online health information. Theoretical and empirical implications of the results are discussed.